


Iron Games and Lost Tributes

by GarGoyl



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Science Fiction, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-15
Updated: 2014-11-15
Packaged: 2018-02-25 12:27:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 29,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2621675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GarGoyl/pseuds/GarGoyl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Old stuff) Soon after winning the 74-th edition of Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta are faced with a new deadly challenge, from which there seems to be no escape… Will they meet a dreadful end or will unexpected help save them? Find out… A bit AU!Katniss/Cato, Haymitch/his bottle - kidding about the last one but you know what I mean…:</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The three of them sat motionless and silent around Haymitch's small kitchen table. Katniss had turned visibly pale and avoided the gaze of the others, feeling like the ground had been swept from under her feet yet again. They had not escaped after all, there was no escape from _them_. Strangely, she felt no more fear, just a profound exhaustion. Haymitch wished he had something special, or at least helpful to say as a mentor to his two students, but it was hardly the case now. He used his free hand to crumple the piece of paper in front of him and toss it to the side, then watched it absentmindedly as it rolled down on the floor.

"What are the Iron Games?" Peeta asked suddenly, bringing him back to reality. Katniss had also raised her questioning glance up at him, furthering his discomfort.

"How long have you known about this, Haymitch?" she inquired, in no more than a whisper.

The mentor scrubbed a hand over his face and took his time pouring another fill of vodka into his glass, which he then downed quickly.

"Not many people know…" he began hesitantly" but I have a few friends at the Capitol… There was nothing but a rumor about this, for a short while, well until we received the official written notice anyway. There was nothing I could do about it, but I suppose you already know that, sweetheart"

"You can at least talk to us" Peeta insisted. "Explain us what the hell is going on"

"Well, as you know, the Hunger Games are ultimately a political tool – to assert the power of the Capitol over all of us - and a means of punishing the districts for their past uprising, watching is compulsory for the districts and free for the people of Capitol. But as a means of _entertainment_ , at least as far as the Capitol elite is concerned, they are rather average rated. After all, they're for children…" Haymitch could not suppress a bitter smile. "So, after the Hunger Games lost their initial novelty appeal, someone though of creating the Iron Games, as a private entertainment for the Capitol elite. They are far more dangerous and require a lot more skills, they're for pros and rich people pay a lot of money to watch them. Sometimes, when the winner of the Hunger Games is a particularly good career and they're deemed old enough, they're given the opportunity to participate in the Iron Games, if they want, for a substantial prize"

"Except we're not _given the opportunity_ , right?" Katniss concluded. "We're forced to"

"The official version will be that you have both volunteered for it, for further fame and glory, as kids are known for pushing their luck foolishly sometimes. But yes, in truth you do not have a choice. You are compelled to go." He did not add why, but there was no need. Their survival had defied the will of the Capitol and President Snow wanted them crushed, made an example of, however subtle.

Peeta was about to ask something more when the Haymitch's cell phone vibrated discreetly two times. He picked it up with surprising speed and stood up, almost knocking down his chair in the process.

"Um… I really need some fresh air after all this" he explained, referring more to the half-empty bottle lying on the table than to the recent unfortunate developments. "I'll be right back"

He stormed out of the house, as fast as his alcohol numbed body allowed it, and crossed the yard in a few large strides, into the thick shadow of the nearby trees.

"I wasn't expecting you so soon, but it's good you could make it here so fast" he addressed the figure wrapped in a dark hooded raincoat.

"As fast as I could when you called, I was in another district and I travel on foot, as you know"

"At least _you can_ travel" Haymitch said impatient. "Now listen carefully, opportunity has arisen for us to do something towards our common purpose. The kids will be sent to the Iron Games, in three months' time, I've just received the notice. Only this time they are expected to deliver a far more spectacular performance, so they're allowed to have their own team of mentors, stylists, trainers…"

"Do you want me to train them?" The voice sounded rather unconvinced.

"No, what would be the use? Of course, they will be trained as best as we can, I'll see to that just in case, but it's obvious they can't be like you, they're normal"

"Oh thanks, Haymitch"

"Haymitch? Are you alright?" Katniss called from the front porch and he turned around startled.

"I'm ok, sweetheart, I'll be with you in a second!" He turned back to the stranger who had withdrawn a few steps at the sound of the girl's voice.

"I need you to replace them. I mean if we can save at least one it would still be something. Besides, it's a safe way to get into the Capitol and the man you're after will surely be there at the games, I've heard he's directly involved-"

"Haymitch you're crazy! Do you realize what kind of security they'll have there? It's the _Capitol_ we're talking about! Now I may have certain qualities but you can't expect me to deal with all that alone. It will be difficult, and dangerous. We'd be putting everyone in danger, rather than saving anyone. I honestly don't think I can do this!"

"Then find someone who can, Hazel!" Haymitch ran a nervous hand through his tousled blonde hair, then shot a quick glance around. "Look, you're all I've got, you know that. I've got no one else who can do the things you do, I've got nothing, I'm helpless… and we both know what is like to be a tribute"

"Haymitch? Are you sure you're ok? What are you doing there?" Katniss called again.

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" he replied with a dismissal gesture. "Listen Hazel, just do what you can, yeah? Please"

"Ok, I'll help, even if I think it's crazy, I'll do it for you and the kids… But it will take some time and I can't promise to get any backup"

"Alright, but just keep this in mind: three months is all we've got"

* * *

 

The bar was small, filthy and of course illegal, but as long as one had money to pay everyone here minded their own business and no questions were ever asked. It was almost the only place Haymitch felt truly free to soak his sorrows in an adequate quantity of liquor and now Hazel knew it too. The few customers that were still there despite the late hour were busying themselves with their scarce meals and cheap drinks and nobody looked at the petite girl in the large dirty raincoat, who was sitting with a beer in a dark corner and was watching the only TV in the room. Since they were broadcasting reruns of the last edition of the Hunger Games, no one else was watching either. Hazel remained there, inconspicuous like a shadow, with eyes glued to the screen until closing time.

"Fucking Haymitch, 'find some who can', very funny…" she muttered placing a few coins on the counter on her way out and disappeared into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

"I don't know what this looks like to you, Mr. Abernathy, but I take my job very seriously" Flavius Fullner, the special trainer from the Capitol, said to Haymitch. "The Iron Games are not for everyone! They require skill, no, they require _proficiency_! And here I am, asked to make miracles with some kids in a matter of months! I know this is the will of the President but I find it outrageous nevertheless! Look at them – they are not even Careers! How the hell am I supposed to prepare them for the outstanding show everyone's expecting when I've got nothing to work with?"

Haymitch scratched his head. Flavius was tall and muscular, an 'iron athlete' as they called him, easily towering over him. On top of everything he had the same arrogant attitude and preciousness that was specific to most Capitol people and which managed to get on his nerves every single time.

"The girl, Katniss, is very good" he replied at last."Don't know if you've seen her in the Games but she can shoot like no other"

"I will hear no more of the damned Hunger Games, not to mention that her skills with the bow are of no use" Flavius snorted."No long range weapons are allowed in the Iron Games, any idiot can shoot. Sheer strength is important, and skills in close combat, that's what the audience wants. _Titans_ not children! The only thing that could counter the fact that she's a woman, therefore not very strong, is speed. But then again there are limits as to how fast someone can actually be. That's why I've never seen any woman in the Games so far"

Haymitch sighed. "Well the boy is strong. He can lift very heavy weights, I'm sure that with enough practice he could manage…"

Flavius opened his mouth to protest, but Cinna placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Flavius, I'd like to have a word later if that's alright…"

The giant nodded and walked away.

"I'm afraid he's right, you know" Haymitch sighed again. "Who are we fooling after all? It's just another game to the death, one they can't win. And with a bit of misfortune added we'll make it a game to the death for all of us involved."

"I will talk to Flavius later" Cinna said."The simple fact that he's agreed to be here is already a step forward. Besides, you said it yourself that there is hope, even if you won't speak of it"

"It's only a faint hope, my friend, and I shall speak of it when I actually have something to speak of"

* * *

 

The Peacekeeper walked back and forth at a steady pace, no doubt to warm himself up in the chill of the night, unaware that he was being keenly observed. Hazel swore under her breath for the fourth time since she'd first noticed the man, still pondering on what to do. Peacekeepers were always an unpleasant surprise, and this time one not provided for, unfortunately. What on earth would he be doing guarding a cemetery? It wasn't like the dead were planning to go anywhere, at least not as far as he was concerned, anyway. Things were always so much more complicated in richer districts, more security, crazy enough since they were the most devoted to Capitol. Or at least the less likely to be involved in an uprising. Hazel swore again - a habit she'd picked from Haymitch, back when he'd been her mentor, as one of the few things he was truly good at. Not to mention it was a great tension relief.

Then it dawned on her, the Peacekeeper was most likely guarding her objective. There was no choice. She took her chance while he was facing away from her, jogged up to him and grabbed his shoulder in an iron grip. Her fist broke the visor of his helmet as he turned, before he even got the chance to pull out his gun. She did however, and fired two short rounds square into his chest. She dropped the gun next to the fallen corpse and stepped forward, assessing her next task.

By the time Hazel finished digging it was well past midnight, as she observed checking her watch. Plenty of time left till morning, provided she had no more surprises coming.

"Ok, ok, this isn't in the least awkward…" she whispered as she used the shovel to crush the joints of the fiberglass coffin. She pushed the lid aside with her foot and reluctantly examined the contents. As expected, intact. Ever loyal to their obsession for beauty, the experts of Capitol had of course restored the body to perfection, only without life in it. The sight triggered an intense feeling of anger and hatred, but she stuffed it down within a deep breath. The time for it would come, hopefully soon enough.

Hazel dug in one of the large pockets of her raincoat and took out the tablet, selecting the text display. Having checked the notes one last time, she then stung the thick needle of the syringe into her left wrist and drew enough blood to fill it. Next, she set the charger ready and tore open the boy's shirt, exposing the place right above his heart.

"Just wait and see how this isn't going to work at all" she grumbled again as she stuck the needle deep into the flesh, emptying the contents and following with a high voltage charge. The next twenty minutes were pure torture. She scrolled down nervously across the text display, in search of further indications, and almost began to doubt the operation's chances of success. She also couldn't help casting wary glances around every five seconds. Remaining in such an exposed place for so long wasn't something she usually did.

The first sign of life had her startled such that she almost dropped the tablet. She checked her watch – just as the instructions mentioned, it had taken exactly twenty minutes for the mutant cells to attach, first to the heart and then gradually to the rest of his internal organs and to set them in functioning mode again. _Capitol's fucking miracle of science_ she thought, not without a tinge of disgust. Too bad it would work against them.

"Oh, right, the embalming liquid has to be eliminated before the functions of the body can be fully restored. Ewwww!" she noted out loud as Cato now sat half upright, coughing and vomiting his heart out over the edge of the coffin. When he was eventually done, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve and shot a wild look around, panting heavily.

"Wha- what…? I'm dead!" he barely whispered. _Good point_ , Hazel thought, and a sign that his memory was fully functional. "Who the hell are you? He then questioned out loud.

"Hazel, I'm a big fan. I've been _dying_ to meet you" she replied in a silly girlish voice, helping him up to his feet and out of the coffin. "But more on that later, now I need you to get this mess covered up" she added motioning to the pit and handing him the shovel.

Not entirely unexpected, Cato used the newly acquired tool/weapon to deliver a full blow to her stomach. However, he had an unpleasant surprise when she not only did not even loose her footing, but she also snatched it from his hands in the blink of an eye and served him a taste of his own medicine.

"Don't do that again, I'm in the habit of returning favors" Hazel explained calmly while he lay on the ground, struggling to catch his breath.

"What the fuck…?"

"Let me tell you a little story, Cato" she began swinging the shovel back and forth somewhat impatiently. "Once upon a time there was a Game maker, and he was renowned for creating the most entertaining and deadliest Hunger Games the Capitol had ever seen. Indeed he was deemed nothing short of a genius. One year, a fourteen year old girl from the poorer districts was selected at the reaping. She had no special skills, no particular survival ability and her overall score was well below average. She was dead meat from the start, never had a chance, but the Game maker saw her and he became obsessed with her…"

Hazel took a deep breath before she continued. "So after she was killed in the Games he used her body to create a very powerful mutant that would be used as a weapon against the tributes in future Games… And such she would be preserved, indefinitely. Except his plan went wrong because she escaped from under surveillance, destroyed the laboratory and killed everyone inside it, after stealing all their research. The best part is, he doesn't even know that. They think it was an accident and everything was destroyed in the explosion, including me"

By the time she finished, Cato had managed to haul himself up on his feet again. "You're a _mutant_?" he asked equally frightened and disgusted. He had not finished the sentence when his gaze fell on the body of the dead Peacekeeper, lying barely a few yards away from the grave. His knees went weak.

"How did you do this?" he asked next, pointing at himself. "I'm dead. I know that much…"

"Technology from the Capitol" she replied bluntly. "My _mutant_ blood contains special cells which have rapidly multiplied inside your body and have attached themselves to your own cells, making them work. But the whole thing is artificial"

"So what now, I'm a mutant too?" Cato stared down at his own hands with un-dissimulated horror. "Wha-what do you want from me?"

"To give you an option. You could return to your family, of course secretly, and sort of still have a life with them – by the way the cells are guaranteed for at least fifty years, or so it says in the manual – or you can come with me and do some damage"

Cato snorted. "I can't go back to my family, I'd put them all in danger, it would be insane! What is that you really want?"

"I want Seneca Crane" Hazel said determined. "And you should want him too"

"Seneca Crane? The Game maker? Why would I want him?"

"Oh I don't know, because he killed you?"

"It was that scum from District 12 who killed me!" he replied angrily. "The fucking Girl on Fire!"

Hazel rolled her eyes blatantly. "You had a full body armor to protect you from her arrows, until the mutts took care of that. _He_ did not want you to win!"

"Why? Why would he not want me to win?" Cato questioned crossing his arms.

"Because it's his job to make the Games entertaining, exciting. And Careers have won the Games for too long, it has become _boring_. People wanted something else so he gave them something else. You didn't really think that this is about the best one winning, did you? District 2 or District 12, they're all slaves, some more privileged than others but still slaves. The Capitol decides who lives and who dies, on a whim"

For once, Cato didn't look so sure of himself. "I'll… I'll need to think about this"

"Great. You have thirty minutes" Hazel informed him gathering her tools and the tablet, then shoving them back inside her raincoat. She then took out a bottle of whiskey from the other pocket and took a long sip.

"Can I have some of that?"

As a Career of course Cato had never consumed any alcohol, but now it suddenly seemed like a good idea. He took a swing from the bottle and felt the liquid burning his throat and further down into his stomach. For a moment he thought he was going to be sick again, but then it instantly made him feel significantly better.

"By the way, that's pretty much all we eat" Hazel said.

 _Great!_ Cato thought but nevertheless he spent the next ten minutes covering up his former grave and making everything look as if it had never been disturbed. He cast a wary glance at the Peacemaker's body, but she shook her head.

"Ok then, let's go" he concluded.


	3. Chapter 3

It was the dull hours after sundown that troubled Haymitch the most lately. During daytime he was busy with monitoring Katniss and Peeta's training – well mostly attempting to temper Flavius who was either yelling in a fit of rage or complaining at the brink of depression that his otherwise impressive career was sure to be ruined after 'this unfortunate episode', and Effie was a constant nuisance with the planning of the – thank God much shorter – Victory Tour that was to take place just before the Iron Games. And so he was too busy to really think of what lay ahead of them. Not in the evening though, when all worries would eventually come upon him once more and he would have to seek refuge in his daily poison.

In the beginning, after his Capitol friends had procured him some recordings of past editions of Iron Games, he'd entertained the hope that Hazel could at least replace Katniss, since all the fighters were required to wear full body armor and closed helmets, but now he'd come to doubt even that plan. The reason why he'd instantly put so much hope in Hazel was that she was his own personal miracle. Haymitch had helplessly watched many tributes he'd personally mentored get slaughtered in the Arena, and it had been much worse when he was younger and less numbed by his addiction. Hazel had been one to cause him particular pain, since she was so young, gentle and talented, meant for so much more, yet so fragile and vulnerable. And he had known from the start that she never had a chance. And then, one cold November evening, she had come back to him, since she had no close family and he was the only one she could trust. But she had changed, she was a deadly being haunting Panem, sneaking from one district to another, always hiding, always on the move and with a determined agenda of revenge. Haymitch couldn't blame her. Sometimes she would spend a few days in his house, and they would sit, talk and drink. But that was all, she would not risk putting him in danger by staying for too long.

He wandered aimlessly across his property, hands stuffed in his pockets, prey to countless dark thoughts. Cinna was the only one who seemed more balanced and somewhat optimistic, but he was in over his head preparing the costumes and what not for the Victory Tour, so Haymitch had been left alone with his fears and… Katniss. He'd been too distraught to notice her in the first place, as she sat on the grass hugging her knees and now it was too late to avoid her. He sat down beside her without a word and wished he had brought his bottle with him.

"It's all my fault, Haymitch" she stated.

He sighed. "It's no one's fault, sweetheart. And it will… we will do something about it. We'll get you out of this" His voice did not sound as convincing as he'd hoped and he inwardly cursed himself.

"What can we do?" Katniss asked softly, not looking at him.

"I don't know that yet, but we never knew what to do in the first place, and eventually we have come up with a solution"

"That solution will not work now, not anymore Haymitch. In fact, it has become the very problem, isn't it?" She had turned now, facing him fully and she looked rather determined, a fact which he usually found worrying.

"I can't help feeling responsible for everything and everyone. For Prim and Gale, and my mum - I gave them such futile hope only to have it crushed so cruelly now. And for Peeta's life! I can't save him now, after all he's been through for me" She shook her head. "I can't help thinking that it will be better if I come clean about it, if I just admit in public that I don't love Peeta and it was all my scheming to save myself when he should have won the Games. Maybe then they will just send me to the Iron Games and let him live. It's me they want, I was the one to defy them, let them punish me and me alone!"

"Indeed I cannot think of a worse idea" Haymitch pointed. "Do you realize just how unpopular that would suddenly make you? We can kiss our sponsors goodbye. And instead of taking advantage that now you two are actually allowed to be a team, you'll be in there alone. As for Peeta, rest assured that they would not let him grieve"

"We cannot survive the Iron Games anyway, Haymitch!" Katniss insisted. "They won't let us live, not this time"

"Well not if-" the mentor began to say, but then stopped abruptly. He could let Katniss know nothing of the hopes he had. It wasn't a matter to be taken lightly, it needed to be dealt with extreme care and discretion and she was way too young and quick tempered to be involved in such a thing.

 _After all, she's still a child_ he thought.

* * *

 

Haymitch was either talking in riddles or he was just drunk, Katniss thought. Probably the latter. It genuinely struck her odd how anyone could still entertain hope under the current circumstances. Wasn't it plain for everyone what President Snow had decided? Cinna was calm and composed, in his usual way that betrayed nothing, but Haymitch acted weird, as if he knew something he wasn't telling anyone. She did not question Peeta's motives, she knew that he was simply there for her and the thought pained her to no end.

" _He loves me and I've been hurting him all along, because I don't love him, not that way, and he knows it. He sees it in my eyes. And now I will kill him_ " She pressed her fingers into her forehead as hard as she could and wanted to scream.

The dinner was hard to bear. Effie had a probably unrivalled talent for talking for hours without actually saying much, maintaining a constant and nerve-wrecking level of noise. Haymitch didn't say much and Cinna responded only out of politeness. Peeta was silent, just like she was. Flavius sulked in his seat, no doubt contemplating upcoming disasters. Katniss hated being around him, to her he clearly embodied the very essence of Capitol – arrogance, brutality and cruelty, and she assumed that the feeling was at least mutual.

"I have decided to write a letter to the President" she spoke out loud, without any prior introduction. Her mind was made up. "I want to confess everything. And I want to go to the Games alone"

They all stared at her in utter shock. Haymitch discreetly slapped a hand over his forehead and proceeded to refill his glass.

"What would you possibly want to confess, dear? And you absolutely can't go to the Games alone" Effie finally said.

"I think you all know" Katniss replied in a low voice, avoiding their gazes.

She would not look at them, especially at Peeta. She knew she'd hurt him. It had been plain cruel to say it out loud, in front of everyone, but she'd had no choice. She placed her napkin to the side, stood and walked out of the house, missing the heated dispute that instantly broke out between Flavius and Haymitch. Peeta ran after her.

"You can't do this, Katniss!" he shouted, almost out of breath.

She turned reluctant. "You're right, Peeta, I can't do this. Not anymore. I've hurt you too much already… You've done everything for me and I won't let you die"

"It doesn't have to be like this. Katniss, it won't be like this. We'll work hard, we'll train… And Haymitch says there's always a way!" Peeta said blinking back his tears.

Katniss sighed. "And just how many tributes has Haymitch saved until now? None but us" She shook her head. "No Peeta, I'm sorry"

* * *

 

"If Haymitch Abernathy was your mentor, no wonder you ended up dead" Cato observed with a light smirk.

"I didn't have many chances of ending up otherwise, but at least he is funny" Hazel stated shrugging.

"How did you die, anyway?" he wanted to know.

"Someone hit me in the head with a club. Instant black-out"

"How _boring_ " he snorted.

They both laughed. They were sitting down on the grass in a clearing just outside the border of District 9. They'd been travelling for two weeks now, resting in hiding during the day and walking at night. It was a dark night, with no moon and they hadn't made a fire, since they barely felt the cold and did not need to eat. Their bodies functioned entirely on a liquid-based diet and since alcohol had many calories it was what they mostly consumed to get enough energy. Otherwise it had no effect on them. Also, as a result of long years of constant travelling, Hazel had become quite keen on keeping things as inconspicuous as possible.

Suddenly their sharp hearing caught the distinctive sound of footsteps somewhere close, as well as the buzzing of an engine.

"Shit, it's a ship!" Cato exclaimed, glancing up at the sky above the trees.

They both instantly jumped to their feet and quickly hid behind a thick pine tree, leaving their backpacks behind.

"And Peacekeepers! At least a dozen" Hazel estimated as their white uniforms became distinguishable.

"Are they after us? How could they have discovered us? We were very careful…" Cato whispered.

"No. Our bodies do not emanate enough heat to be detected by their scanners. Look, they're after _them_ " she pointed somewhere into the darkness. Cato saw that there were four figures, not very far away from where they'd hidden, two of them smaller, and then he heard something like a child's cry.

"My God, they're… they're a family I think" he realized. "They are runaways! What will they do to them if they are caught?"

"I don't want to think about it" Hazel murmured.

"How about some practice on the Peacekeepers?" Cato suggested.

She shook her head. "I'd rather we did not risk. We're unarmed and they're too many". But as soon as she finished her words a powerful flashlight blinded them.

"Hey you there!" one of the Peacekeepers shouted. "Hey stop! Stop or we will open fire!"

"Run!" Hazel urged. "We must get them deeper into the forest, where we can take them by surprise"

They ran as fast as they could in a zigzag pattern, avoiding the flashlights of their pursuers. The Peacekeepers wouldn't fire as long as they couldn't properly locate their targets. They eventually hid under some thick bushes, waiting for the men to draw closer. The Peacekeepers were dispersed, advancing slowly.

"Now?" Cato asked.

Hazel laid a hand on his shoulder. "Fast and quiet" she whispered.

The first Peacekeeper never knew what had happened to him and the others did not hear the muffled crack of his neck. When they did realize they were being attacked they began to shoot in confusion and a few of their own men fell under the crossfire. Hazel was quick to pick up a rifle and shot another four, while Cato finished the rest of them with his bare hands. When the surveillance ship eventually arrived above the spot, they found nothing but dead bodies.


	4. Chapter 4

It was close to midnight, and in the dim light of the small bar Haymitch waited impatient, checking his watch from time to time. Outside it was pouring gallons. He'd been in such an anxious mood for the last two hours that the whiskey glass in front of him was almost untouched. When two figures finally walked in and headed in his direction, he jumped slightly, surprised. Haymitch was almost certain that Hazel would return alone and very likely in a bad mood for wasting her time pointlessly.

Their clothes – dark jeans and long hooded raincoats – were soaked and smeared with mud and dry leaves, and he guessed that they must have been travelling thought the forest for quite a while.

"Looking good, Haymitch" Hazel said patting him briefly on the shoulder before both of them sat down at his table.

"Hello Mr. Abernathy" Cato said politely.

"Hey you two! Um… would you like something?" Haymitch asked a bit awkward.

"Yeah, we're having what you're having" she replied with a brief smile and he motioned to the bartender. As soon as the drinks had been brought and the man walked away, Cato pulled his hood down, ruffling his wet hair.

"I see that you've been successful…" Haymitch began, in between long sips of whiskey, struggling to remember why Cato's figure seemed so familiar, but to no avail. "You know, I'm sure I've seen you before, just can't put my finger on it…" he added shaking a finger in his direction.

"He's Cato. He's been in the Games this year" Hazel reminded him in a whisper.

The mentor puffed into his drink and his eyes went wide. Now he did remember the Career from District 2. "Uh… _WHAT_?"

"Haymitch, there are several reasons why it's very difficult if not close to impossible for someone who is not like us to travel between districts without too much trouble" Hazel explained calmly.

"You mean for someone who is not what, a…. _mutant_?"

"I think she means for someone who is alive" Cato pointed, slightly amused by Haymitch's embarrassment.

"Ok, ok, I won't delve into things that are clearly beyond me" he said raising his hands up. "But I have to ask – Cato, what made you decide to join, well…. our cause?"

"I trust Hazel" Cato replied without hesitation, casting a quick glance at her. "Everything she says makes a lot of sense"

Haymitch glanced briefly at Hazel and then rolled his eyes. "Oh of course it does, and I get why you two have a problem with fucking Seneca Crane, of all people, however I hope you will soon come to see that he is somewhat of an insignificant target. He's not the one who's really behind all these years of brutal, pointless killing! "

"Yeah, actually it's President Snow, there's no mystery in that, but-" Hazel said.

"As long as he still lives, we're all fucked!" Haymitch pointed. "Well except for you two maybe…"

Then he decided to let them in some more into the information he had and his general plan. He knew something that very few people from Panem knew – that District 13 had not been wiped off the face of the earth as Capitol claimed. On the contrary, they had grown to become quite a force and they were willing to take on Capitol, provided they received some inside help. Haymitch was in on this little conspiracy, as well as Cinna and a few other Capitolites who'd suffered at the hands of the current regime. But District 13's terms had been clear – President Snow had to be removed from office before they would intervene.

Hazel spun her glass between her fingers thoughtfully for a while, before she eventually spoke. "Um… I was under the impression that we're talking Iron Games and Seneca Crane…. Now you're talking political coup"

He sighed. "The President will not allow Katniss and Peeta to survive the Iron Games, no matter how good they are. Well not that they are that good, not for these Games at least… But he will have them crushed, most likely in public display, so that everyone sees what happens to those who defy the Capitol and its power. So if we want to save them, there is no other way"

"I don't know, Haymitch… I mean killing Seneca Crane is not so farfetched, he's just a Game maker, but President Snow is another thing entirely. Hell, I've heard he almost never leaves his villa, not to mention that he probably has an army guarding him 24/7"

The mentor shook his head. "There is no hope but this, Hazel, as faint as it may be. But just know that if you don't want to do it, I'll understand and- "

"So then why would I need to replace them in the Games, if it's pointless anyway?" she interrupted.

Haymitch scrubbed a hand over his face and sipped some more from his whiskey.

"The Games will last for three whole weeks. We need them to survive at least for a few days – and they most likely won't by themselves - to buy us some time to try and fix the other matter…"

"I still don't get why we need to take part in this entire circus" Cato cut in. "Wouldn't it be easier, and more discreet, for me and Hazel to sneak into the Capitol before and kill Crane and Snow? Then there would be no more Iron Games"

"Cato, travelling through Districts is much simpler" Hazel explained. "Everyone looks more or less plain and wears tedious clothes, it's quite easy to mingle with the crowd and slip by unnoticed. In the Capitol we would stick out immediately – didn't you see their clothing, the way they do their hair and God, the _tonne_ of make-up? Not to mention that we have no idea how to act like them. We need some inside help, and Cinna will give it"

"Fine, fine" he admitted, crossing his arms. "I bet this will be a lot of fun though"

"You have no idea…" Haymitch grumbled and downed his glass.

* * *

 

Two weeks had passed since Katniss had sent the letter to the President and still no reply came. She had no choice but to imagine that the answer was positive. Indeed they had not send any letter of reply to what she had asked, but a notice that an interview was due in two weeks' time. They wanted an interview _with her,_ as the notice mentioned, and Katniss took it as a sign that Peeta had already been excluded from their diabolical scheme.

They hadn't spoken in days now. Peeta was upset with her, broken, she suspected, and had locked himself up in his house, avoiding everyone. He hadn't shown up to her training or at dinner. She did not regret her decision though, she knew she'd done the right thing, despite his reaction, Effie and Haymitch being against it and Flavius being positively threatening. Not that she cared, the man used most of his time for self praise and for pointing out how useless she and Peeta were, how they were going to absolutely ruin his reputation, and she didn't feel like she had been able to learn much from him either. Haymitch however seemed strangely excited, a thing which she fearfully attributed to him 'upgrading' to a new level of substance abuse, and Cinna barely spoke to her, a fact which saddened Katniss deeply, as she really missed talking to him. Little did she know that the stylist had recently undertaken a whole new challenge that was currently occupying his time day and night, but she was soon to find out. _Sort of._

Her mood lightened and she breathed almost relieved when Cinna walked into her room one morning, smiling, accompanied by two other Capitolites she'd never seen before.

"Good morning Katniss!" he greeted and she couldn't help returning his smile. His mere presence was a comfort to her.

"Since your interview is in two weeks, I thought today we could begin the fittings for your wardrobe – I have a very special dress in mind for the occasion" he said.

He paused for a second and turned to his companions. "And since I felt that I needed a fresh perspective on things, I sent for my two youngest apprentices – Maximilian and Gala. From now on they will take care of your outfits, hair and make-up, of course under my supervision"

Katniss smiled to them politely, nodding her head, and they both took a quick bow in front of her, Capitol style.

God, she _did not_ like Capitolites. Gala was petite and delicate, but her slim figure had been concealed by an oversized green gown adorned with pink feathers from place to place. Her hair was jet black and her fake eyelashes, lips and long nails were of a bright yellow. In turn, Maximilian looked sort of strange for a stylist, at least in her view – he was tall, with broad shoulders and muscular, but she assumed that he probably worked out just out of pure vanity. Otherwise he looked just as eccentric as Gala – a sky blue robe draped complicatedly over a simple white sleeveless shirt, his short blonde hair had blue highlights and his eyelids and lips were painted in the same color.

During her brief inspection, the two also observed her curiously, especially the boy, whose icy blue eyes seemed to weigh her critically and almost intrusively inspect her every feature. There was something about him that she found annoyingly familiar, but she could not name it exactly.

 _God, he probably thinks I'm too fat or something. Or maybe that my hair looks bad?_ Katniss thought. She involuntarily reached to check a lock of hair. It wasn't as shiny as they'd made it look for the Games and it no longer feel that soft to the touch. _Damn it, they must think I'm really unkempt_

Cinna must have read her mind. "Natural, morning beauty, is what we most like to work with, is it not guys?" he stated, placing a gentle hand on Katniss' shoulder.

The two apprentices nodded with light smiles as they proceeded to take out their tools and began taking her measures first. They worked slowly but precisely, like true professionals. At some point Maximilian placed a thin silvery meter around her waist and Katniss flinched involuntarily. He stopped measuring and looked up at her face, and their gazes met. Her breath got caught in her throat as she suddenly remembered where she'd seen those eyes.

_Cato._


	5. Chapter 5

The odd sensation was gone in less than a second. Maximilian only held her gaze briefly before resuming what he was doing, paying no further attention to her face. Katniss however couldn't help dreading such moments, when bad memories seemed to suddenly spring out of nowhere and torment her. She never knew when a certain thing she saw or a random word she heard would trigger her in a painful way or bring up something from the past.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and closed her eyes for a moment _. Cato is dead, he was torn to pieces by the mutts_ … _This boy just looks a bit like him, he has the same eye color, I think…_ she told herself, relaxing a bit.

But she was wrong. In fact, Cato _was_ studying her. Recently he'd been giving a lot of thought to the issue of being a Games winner. He'd thought of his own mentor, Brutus. The man was tough as steel, yet – and that more of was a vague feeling than a clear impression - something rattled inside of him like a broken toy. Then there was Enobaria – Clove's mentor – a lonely woman with no life of her own. Haymitch Abernathy was a loser with capital L. They were all cracked one way or another. And now her, Katniss Everdeen, _the Girl on Fire_ , who had won the Hunger Games and pretty much had lost everything else. Hell, star-crossed was an understatement, she was positively _star-fucked_. Cato didn't really understand why the Capitol was so set against her, much more than they'd been against any other Victor, just because she'd saved Lover Boy too. It was just one extra life. Did the life of a teenage boy matter to them so much?

Either way, despite what Hazel had said, Cato had honestly thought that when he saw her he would most likely want nothing else but to tear her to pieces. After all, _she had killed him_. But no longer when he was actually in front of her. Hazel had given him a brand new life, for which he was eternally grateful, while she was now even more fragile, helpless, prey to her inner demons. Her face was pale, her eyes haunted, she was almost a walking corpse. And watching her Cato was going numb – he didn't know what he was feeling anymore.

"I think we're done here, guys" Cinna announced, his voice bringing Katniss back to reality. His two assistants collected their tools and headed for the door silently, after taking another bow in her direction.

* * *

 

In the evening Hazel and Cato stopped by to watch Katniss' daily training with Flavius, from the outside of the improvised armory. The trainer was explaining something while making some moves with a long sword.

"Who the hell is this guy?" Cato wanted to know.

"The special trainer sent by the Capitol for them. His name is Flavius Fullner, he's an 'iron athlete'. Which means he's been in the Iron Games finale or something"

The kept watching in silence for the next ten minutes, during which Flavius continuously yelled at his student, but when Katniss replied he suddenly burst into tears and ran out of the hall.

"Um… does it look to you like this guy has been in the Iron Games? Or in any other Games, actually?" Cato observed. "Hell, he's pathetic. I bet even Lover Boy could beat the shit out of him with one hand. Or with one tray" he laughed.

Hazel was less amused. "I'm not so surprised that the Capitol sent a shit trainer. Just another ingredient for the imminent doom"

"Maybe I could take care of this?" he suggested with a smirk.

"Are you sure you want to?"

"Yeah, I'm bored and I could use some practice, other than make-up and hair…"

Hazel shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Ok, I guess practice is fine. Just remember to keep the real thing for the real prey, little one" she warned.

Katniss was struggling to attack the full armored dummy with the long sword Flavius had tossed on his way out. Pointless. It was too heavy for her to maneuver properly and her wrist was already hurting from the strain. She stopped to wipe the sweat off her brow with a towel.

"You ok, Miss Everdeen?" Cato asked, popping his head inside.

She turned surprised, clearly not expecting one of Cinna's stylists to show up in there. At least he'd dumped that ridiculous robe and most of the makeup. "Yeah, I'm fine, just… my trainer, I think he may be a bit bipolar"

"He's not bipolar, he's hysterical. It might help if you tried giving him a quick slap sometimes" Cato said smiling.

She managed to smile back to him, however faintly. She had that strange, rather awkward feeling again looking at him.

"So how's the training going?"

Katniss put the sword down and rubbed her aching wrist with the other hand. "Um… not so well actually. I don't feel like I'm getting the hang of this"

Her stomach cringed as he picked another sword from the panel and advanced towards her, and she involuntarily took a few steps back.

"The one he picked for you is too heavy for your hand and you can't hold it the right way" he explained. She jumped slightly when he positioned himself behind her.

"Here, hold it this way" Cato said closing her fingers around the handle, his hand over hers. The sword he'd picked for her was considerably lighter. "Weigh it in your hand… there, feel the balance of the blade"

Katniss was only half listening to his words, as her heart began to beat faster in a mixture of fear and excitement. She took a deep breath to shake the feeling off and focused on what he was saying.

"You must always think of it as an extension of your arm" he went on, stretching her arm forward and then directing her for a few basic moves. "Now, assess your opponent's weak spots" he pointed to the armored dummy. "Usually every armor is weak at the joints, underarms and neck. So you must deliver a blow in one of these parts"

"Uh… right" she nodded shyly.

 _God she's clueless!_ he thought. "And now you strike!"

Katniss flinched when the sharp blade suddenly pierced the dummy's throat, making its helmet fall down and roll onto the ground.

"Whoa that was… "she began turning to him with a faint smile, yet somehow disbelieving. "Where did you learn that?"

"My dad wanted me to train… he's a big fan of… Games" Cato improvised. "But fashion has always fascinated me… I mean beauty… is so much more" He rubbed the back of his neck and shifted uncomfortably.

"Just what the hell were you thinking, leaving her alone with that boy? They both heard Haymitch shouting outside before he barged in with a look of terror on his face.

"Haymitch? What's wrong? Katniss asked, puzzled.

The mentor ran a hand through his disheveled hair trying to compose himself. "I just wanted to make sure everything's alright, sweetheart. " he laughed nervously.

"Well, it seems everyone's asking me the same question lately…" she observed.

"Because we're all concerned for you, Katniss" Cato cut in with a smirk. "Anyway, I have to go, Cinna must be looking for me"

His large palm briefly squeezed her shoulder as he walked towards the exit, not really knowing where that had come from, while Haymitch eyed him suspiciously.

"Actually I came to tell you that I've just received a new notice from the Capitol" he informed. "They've pushed forward your interview. It will be in two days"

* * *

 

Cinna had created a simple but spectacular outfit for the occasion – a straight, knee-length dress made of pink-champagne silk that was light as a feather. It contrasted beautifully with Katniss' chocolaty-brown hair, which had been arranged in loose curls and tied with a bow from the same material as the dress. She only wore very light make-up and looked absolutely glowing.

Peeta was there too, obviously he couldn't avoid it, and she noticed that by contrast he wore a dark grey suit and they'd done something with his make-up, or at least that was what she hoped it was. He was eerie pale and there were dark circles under his eyes.

"Peeta, what's wrong? What's happened to you?" she asked leaning forward to where he had just sat, at the other end of her couch.

"Nothing. I'm fine" he replied dryly and avoided her gaze.

"Here's the plan, sweetheart" Haymitch whispered rapidly, just as the Capitol journalists were preparing to invade the living room. "The story is that Peeta can't take part in the Iron Games with you because he's currently struggling with a rather difficult form of pneumonia, but that you will go and win the title for the both of you blah blah blah… Get it?"

"Wait, _WHAT_? Haymitch!" she muttered angrily but it was no time for explaining.

"Sweetheart, just do what I fucking say, for _once!_ " he replied in the same tone before the doors opened.

She took a deep breath, squeezing her hands together in her lap. More lies, all devised by Haymitch. Once again he'd coaxed them into not telling the truth when an honest confession was their only chance, or so she believed. Actually, Peeta's only chance, she was dead anyway.

As usual, her trick was going into numb mode, just like she'd done in the other interviews so far. She answered the journalists' questions with radiant smiles, sticking to Haymitch's instructions. Peeta did the same, playing his role perfectly. He said he would still be in the audience, cheering for her. The Capitolites were moved to tears by the unfortunate turn of this 'exciting love story', it was such a fantastic gossip, something that could make endless conversation. Katniss was disgusted. As soon as they were gone – and she'd genuinely thought they would never leave – she ran up to her room and slammed the door shut.

Plopping down on the bed, Katniss noticed a creamy-white envelope on her desk. As soon as she picked it up, the strong scent of roses mingled with a more discreet yet present scent of blood instantly made her gag. With trembling hands she took out the letter and unfolded it. She ran her gaze over the two calligraphically written lines and let it slip from her hand.

* * *

 

There was a soft knock on the door but Katniss did not hear it.

"Hey um… Cinna needs the dress back so that he can make some adjustments for the Tour and-"Cato had begun to say but he stopped when he saw her curled up on the floor in a corner, hugging her knees with an empty stare.

 _What the fuck? It was just an interview_ he thought, but his gaze fell on the piece of paper sprawled on the carpet. He picked it carefully and examined it. It smelled of something sweet and putrid. _Ugh!_ Then he read it.

" _You may take part in the Iron Games alone, but that will do no good to your beloved Mr. Mellark. Your destinies are forever bound, in life and in death"_ Signed _Magnus Snow_

It had done them no good that she'd kicked Lover Boy to the curb after all, he concluded. The Capitol hated them both. Wanted them both. Hell, Cato almost felt lucky in comparison.

"Hey, are you ok?" he asked gently, kneeling in front of her, more to keep the pretense than that he really cared.

But he couldn't have been more surprised than when she let herself fall against his chest without a word, sobbing silently.


	6. Chapter 6

_Ok, this isn't awkward at all_ Cato told himself repeatedly, without much success. Eventually he placed his arms around her fragile, shaking body, wondering if this was what a Capitolite would really do.

"I can't anymore… I can't… I can't" she whispered into his shoulder almost inaudibly.

"I understand" he said sort of sheepishly, for lack of better words.

"No you don't"

Katniss pulled away from him abruptly and once more took refuge in her corner, hugging herself and avoiding his gaze. What on earth had she been thinking, throwing herself in his arms like that? Maybe Maximilian had been nice to her, but they'd barely spoken twice, he was a stranger. More than that, he was _one of them_.

"How could you? You have lived all your life in the Capitol, you were always safe"

Cato stood up and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Maybe it's not as bad as you think" God this comforting thing sucked!

She shook her head and another sob escaped her. "It's all my fault. I just wanted to save Peeta's life, the way he saved mine when I and my family were starving… But I can't save him. Our hope was short-lived…Our families will be destroyed, and our friends, and Haymitch…"

He snorted. "I wouldn't worry about Haymitch"

But Katniss went on, more for herself. "It's too late, we've given him too much hope and he's grown attached to us. Just like it was with Hazel…"

Cato jumped slightly. "What? How do you-" he stopped and cleared his throat, but she wasn't paying attention anyway. "I mean, who's Hazel?"

She glanced up at him slowly and seemed to snap out of a trance. "What?"

"Who is Hazel?"

Katniss looked away again. "She was a tribute from our District, about ten years ago. Haymitch really cared about her, he keeps a picture of her in his living-room…" she whispered, staring at the patterns of the carpet.

 _We must find a way to let Katniss in on this – on what we're planning to do_ Haymitch had said but apparently 'we' did not include him. How fucking convenient for him, Cato thought rolling his eyes while he struggled whether to tell her the truth or not. She wouldn't like it, hell no she'd be terrified. Or angry. Or hysterical. Either way, she would probably be hard to come to terms with.

 _Well, better out than in_ he decided eventually.

"Come, I want to show you something" he said reaching out and helping her up to her feet. "But you have to promise me that you won't freak out, and you won't scream" _Yeah, fat chance of that happening_

Her eyes went wide as panic instantly coursed through her body, but she still let him guide her to the window. She glanced outside.

"That's just Gala, talking to Haymitch. What-?" she stated, slightly confused.

"Look at her more carefully" Cato whispered softly. "It's Hazel"

Katniss looked, trying to compare Gala with the picture she'd seen on Haymitch's desk. Without the black wig and striking make-up, her brown slightly curled hair was loose on her back, and her features were as childish and sweet as she recalled them.

"No, no, no! This is impossible! It's insane! Hazel died in the Games! How…?"

She struggled, trying to turn, but Cato's hands on her shoulders held her firmly in place. "Katniss, do you remember the mutts that attacked us at the Cornucopia, how they seemed to look like the other dead tributes? They _were_ the other dead tributes. Well, sort of, anyway"

" _What?_ " she whispered faintly.

"Listen to me. She's Hazel… and I'm Cato"

Her body went stiff. She squeezed her eyes shut as terror gradually began to choke her.

"After she died, Hazel was the first experiment of this kind. But it went wrong, because she…" Cato continued, but Katniss did not hear the rest of his words. Her vision blurred, then turned into a full black-out and her body went limp in his arms.

* * *

 

Katniss woke up on the living-room couch in the middle of a heated argument. Her head throbbed and the noise made it ten times worse.

"What _were you thinking_ , to tell her such things, Cato?" Haymitch yelled, pacing back and forth.

"You said let her know what we're up to!" the Career defended himself. "What was I supposed to tell her – we're kids, you're drunk all the time and Cinna makes dresses – but don't you worry, we're planning to take on Capitol!"

The mentor made a dismissal gesture in his direction. "Why didn't you tell her, Hazel? You know best how to explain all this… all this thing"

"But she doesn't even know me!"

"Oh and she does know _him_!"

"Why didn't _you_ tell her? You're her damn mentor, Haymitch!" Peeta cut in.

"If you had just given me some time, I would have thought of a way to put things to her in a less sinister manner!"

"As if you could sugarcoat this" Hazel grumbled.

Suddenly Haymitch noticed that Katniss was struggling to sit up on the pillows. "Everything ok, sweetheart?"

She pressed her temples with her fingers and sighed. "What are you all yelling about?"

"Nothing. Would you like some iced tea?"

She didn't answer, instead her gaze wandered around the room, examining each of them. Hazel and Cato made themselves scarce swiftly and discreetly, and Haymitch soon followed. _The coward!_ she couldn't help thinking furiously. She was left staring at Peeta, who sat on the opposite couch. At least Peeta wasn't avoiding her anymore, as he'd blatantly done until then. Now he was just assessing her expression, with a light, calm smile, which only infuriated her further. She glared at him.

"How the hell can you just sit there like nothing has happened?" she burst out. "What is wrong with you?"

"Katniss, you need to calm down and realize that-"

"CALM DOWN _?_ Are you out of your mind?" she interrupted him. "If you didn't notice, _Cato_ was in this room a minute ago! That bloody, brutal Career that wanted to rip us to shreds during the Games, remember?"

"It's not like that, he won't do anything" Peeta stated. "Hazel has him under control"

"Under _control_? Do you really think that he can be controlled? And by Hazel, of all people? For God's sake, she's fourteen!"

"She was fourteen ten years ago, and she's a _mutant_. She's much more powerful than any of us!" he replied. "And not only that she's been around longer than us, but she's seen a lot of stuff too and she's really smart!"

Katniss blinked, intrigued. "How do you know that?"

Peeta shifted uncomfortably, confirming her sudden suspicion.

"Oh my God, you _knew_! Peeta, you knew and you didn't tell me anything!"

He sighed. "You know Katniss, Haymitch is right when he says you're much too impulsive and quick-tempered and it's best sometimes to keep things from you"

Katniss ran out of the living-room before she would say something really mean and hurtful to him. Peeta didn't even sound angry, but rather sad, like a gentle father that had been disappointed by his child. And it just drove her up the wall. She went up to her room and slammed the door shut. She then kicked off her shoes and peeled off the silk dress, replacing them with a pair of trousers, a simple t-shirt and an old pair of boots. She picked her father's old leather jacket from the hanger on her way out.

It was getting dark and thick clouds were gathering up in the sky, but she still headed for the border determined. She slipped through the barbed wire fence and sunk into the soothing shadow of the forest. There she stopped and inhaled deeply, enjoying the fresh, wild smell that always made her feel like home, like she was in a blessed refuge. She rubbed her temples and fidgeted with her hair. It was way too much to take in, this whole insane plot that Haymitch and Cinna were part of and which was still unclear, and the _mutants_! She found no reason not to trust Hazel, she was from their District, but hell, _Cato_ was another story! No matter what they all said, he was dangerous, he was trouble and most likely wanted revenge. _She had killed him!_ And he had probably decided to play with her a little before, the bastard! She couldn't help remembering his lesson in sword fighting, the way he'd teased her with his gentle touch and the absolutely _damned stupid_ way she'd sobbed into his chest only hours ago – _unthinkable!_ The thought alone chilled her to the bone.

She'd been walking aimlessly for a while, deeper into the woods, ignoring the rain which had already begun to fall, when she realised that she wasn't quite alone. She looked around startled. It was almost pitch dark and her sight wasn't of much use, but her hearing wasn't deceiving her. Someone was coming. She instantly knew that anyone other than Gale meant trouble, and Gale never came into the woods after sunset. She ignored the surge of panic and sought refuge into the first tree she found accessible enough. The bark was rough, wet and slippery, yet she struggled to climb, scratching her palms and bloodying the tips of her fingers, one with the adrenaline rush. She only stopped when she thought she was far enough from the ground, panting heavily. Motionless, she hugged the thick trunk, while the heavy rain continued to soak her.

It wasn't long before she heard voices below and she could distinguish several while helmets. Peacekeepers!

"I saw the suspect heading this way, sir" one of them said.

Then Katniss saw them pointing a beeping device first to the nearby bushes, then gradually to the trees canopy.

 _A heat scanner! They'll discover me!_ Her body froze in terror. She had to move out, climb higher. She forced her trembling, almost exhausted body further up, desperately, but luck wasn't on her side this time. A putrid branch she hadn't spotted cracked under her weight and she collapsed into thin air.

 _I'm done with_ was Katniss' last thought before she was caught in mid fall. A strong pair of arms grabbed her waist and hurled her upwards, and a hand covered her mouth before she could scream and betray herself. She thrashed helplessly against her captor, but he had her pinned onto the massive trunk, in an iron grip.

"Be quiet!" he hissed into her ear, his breath on her neck giving her goose bumps, yet he removed his hand from her mouth.

"Cato?" she whispered. "It's pointless. They'll catch us …"

"No they won't. Just stay still" he whispered back, covering her body with his own.


	7. Chapter 7

The search went on for at least another hour. Katniss was trembling, getting colder and colder in her soaked clothes and the rough bark scrapped her back painfully. She thought her feet were going to slide off the slippery branch any moment now. On top of everything, Cato's presence was in no way soothing. His body felt ice cold against hers and of a suffocating weight. He stood motionless like a statue but she knew that he was on the alert. Just like a perfect predator.

"They're gone now" he suddenly said, and she jumped slightly, struggling against the growing dizziness that had taken over her. "Let's go"

He pulled away from her and she made an attempt to move, but her feet disobeyed her. She shook them a bit, then began to rub her upper arms to warm up a little. She looked down hesitantly – there were at least thirty feet above the ground.

"Let's go _now_ "

Before she could reply, Cato slung her on his shoulder and jumped all the way down.

* * *

 

Once they went past the border fence and into the Seam they noticed that there were several Peacekeepers along the way, looking suspiciously at any late by passers and soon they saw that a checkpoint had been set up at the entrance of the Victors' village.

"They're looking for me, aren't they?" Katniss asked in a low voice, a bit relieved that she had a reason to break the awkward silence between them. But deep inside she was both angry and frightened. Cato must have been following her like a ghost into the woods. Nobody was _that quiet._ And the way he'd climbed after her, agile like a big cat, not to mention the way he'd caught her. It was obvious that he was _a lot_ more dangerous now than he'd been in the Arena. A rather disturbing thought.

Cato didn't answer, instead his arm went around her shoulders, pulling her close to him.

"What the hell are you doing?" she questioned angrily, struggling to escape his grip.

 _Lover Boy must have nerves of steel if he put up with all the fits she keeps throwing for so long!_ Cato pondered.

"They probably already know that neither Lover Boy nor that 'cousin' of yours are with you, so they're expecting you to be alone" he muttered under his breath. "Now stuff your hands in your pockets, your fingers are bleeding. They're looking for evidence that you've been out there"

"How do you know they're looking for _me_?" Katniss insisted. "They've tracked down someone in the woods but they don't know it was me. Maybe they didn't even track me, maybe if was _you_ who led them to me in the first place!"

"Because the scanners can only track _living things_ " Cato growled.

They continued to walk in silence for a while, towards the Victors' village. Cato's arm on her shoulders made her feel uncomfortable, all the more since he held her somehow gently, as if he were afraid he would hurt her. As if she didn't know what he was really about. She snorted, annoyed.

For the moment however, they seemed to have more important problems. A Peacekeeper suddenly stopped them and directed the flashlight straight into Katniss' face. She jerked her head away from the blinding ray.

"Hey, you!" the man shouted, attempting to grab her by the collar.

"Leave her alone!" Cato ordered in a stern, menacing voice.

"You, back off!" the Peacekeeper barked, pushing him in the chest.

"How dare you touch me, you District scum!" the Career jumped. "I am a citizen of the Capitol!" he spat, waving the fake id Cinna had provided under the man's nose. His attitude improved significantly.

"I'm sorry sir, but I still have to ask where you have been-"

"Hey, we all need to have some fun every now and then" Cato replied and he winked suggestively, pulling Katniss even closer to him. She could not help a groan.

Then they were free to walk back to the house. Katniss couldn't take it anymore. She had to confront him once and for all, even if would – most likely - end badly. She had to know. Just as they were about to get inside, she gathered all her strength and shoved him into the wall. _Sort of_.

"What kind of game are you playing, Cato?" she yelled. "Come on, spit it out! Do you really think you can fool me? That I don't know what you want? You came here to kill me!

Cato felt an irresistible urge to slap her but somehow he managed to refrain, instead he slammed his fist into the wall right next to her head, crumbling the mortar.

"I surely didn't come here to help you, to comfort you or to fucking babysit you!" he spat. _Despite the fact that it's all I've been doing lately!_

"But if I'd wanted to kill you, I would have done it a hundred times by now!"

"You should waste no more time, then!" Katniss hissed. "Come on, hit me, you bastard!" She tried to throw a punch at his face but he caught her wrist and held it in place between his thumb and his index finger. Then he captured her other hand the same way.

"Stop it!"

"No, you stop it! Stop pretending already!" she struggled to free her hands. "And why are you so damned gentle with me? Who do you think you're fooling with that? Huh?"

"Because Hazel says we must be careful when handling humans" he muttered, and his features softened a bit.

 _So that's what it is!_ Katniss realized _. The damned bastard is just letting me know that he can crush me like a bug now!_

"I don't care how strong you are!" she spat "I'm not afraid of you! I never was! So come on, what are you waiting for? Why didn't you kill me out there, in the woods?"

Cato took a step forward while still holding her hands, and his massive frame towered over her. Katniss began to panic, but she wouldn't back down.

"I don't know" he replied at last, in a low voice. "I look at you and I don't feel anything"

And then, just as feather soft as he'd grabbed her, he released her wrists and slipped past her inside the house, leaving her to brood over his words.

"You sure know how to stir the shit, don't you sweetheart" Haymitch commented from the living-room as she passed by on her way to her room.

* * *

 

Katniss had not seen him at all for the last two days. They needed some training of their own, Haymitch had explained, now that it wasn't long until the Victory Tour would begin, but she had a strange feeling.

_I don't know. I look at you and I don't feel anything_

Those words kept popping into her mind, puzzling. Hell, she couldn't care any less how Cato felt, of all people, and no doubt it was good news that he wasn't so hostile anymore, although she still found that bit quite hard to believe. He'd admitted that he didn't know it himself why he wasn't so determined to tear her to pieces anymore. Maybe it was Hazel's influence, after all she was calm and gentle like Cinna, yet firm and calculated.

Katniss shook her head as she walked towards the armory, deciding she wouldn't allow herself to be distracted from the more pressing matters. She would just train, as hard as she could. It was very early in the morning, and she knew she had at least two hours for herself before Flavius would show up.

 _I know they won't let me survive the Iron Games, but at least I'll go down the hard way_ she repeated determined. _I will show the Capitol that_ _I'm not weak, and that I'm ready to defy them until the end!_

But then sudden thoughts of Prim and her mother – and Peeta - flooded her mind and bit at her remorsefully. She could not even think of Peeta, his fate was already sealed, but her family… no, she could not afford to think like that.

She pretty much didn't know what she was supposed to think anymore when she walked inside and stopped dead in her tracks. Cato had gotten there before her and was already training. She glanced around for Hazel, but the petite girl was nowhere in sight. She could do nothing but stare dazed at the glint of his two swords as he spun them before thrusting them deep into the dummy's chest, piercing through the armor.

"What?"

She jumped slightly noticing that he'd stopped and was currently glancing back at her questioningly.

"Nothing, um… I thought you said that the weak points are the joints, underarms and neck" she said shrugging uncomfortably.

Cato pulled the swords out in one swift move and balanced them in the air. "Well, there would be more weak spots available if you were, um, like us… but since you're not, better stick to playing the cards that you do have"

She smiled lightly, drawing closer, but she wasn't doing a very good job concealing her nervousness, Cato realized.

"Flavius says that it helps to think _that_ is someone you hate" Katniss said, pointing to the dummy. It was better to talk about something else and ignore the elephant in the room. Better not to think of the uncertainty between them. Not now.

"Really? Is that why he ran away crying last time I saw him?" he laughed, handing her one of the swords.

"No, that was because he's convinced that I'm going to ruin his precious Games" she replied taking position and concentrating on the target. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to pretend that it was Flavius instead of the dummy. She found him appalling enough.

She gave it several blows but it was hard – the armor was slippery and kept diverting her blade. She let out a frustrated groan. Behind her, Cato snorted and she couldn't help turning and glaring at him.

"Hey, whoever it was that you thought of, I don't think you hate them enough" he commented.

"Oh? And who did you think of before?" _Or maybe I shouldn't have asked that, maybe he was thinking of me after all…_

Cato's features darkened _. "_ Seneca Crane"

Katniss blinked, a bit confused. She'd never given much thought to Seneca Crane. Apart from the fact that he'd disdainfully ignored her during her private session, just as the other Game makers had done, she had nothing against him in particular, more than her general hatred towards Capitol.

"You know, I'm not going to say now what a wonderful person Clove was, because it would be somewhat of an overstatement" she suddenly heard Cato say "but she was brave, she fought until the end and at least she would have deserved a dignified death"

She turned to face him fully and for a moment she was under the impression that his icy blue eyes were filling with tears. And he didn't blink them back fast enough for her not to suddenly come to know that beneath that tough surface he was broken.

"But instead he turned her into a brainless beast and the last thing I got to do was to drive my sword through the heart of that horrid creature she'd become"

Katniss closed her eyes. _And Rue, and Thresh… Their eyes were so full of hatred_

Her fingers squeezed the sword's handle until her knuckles went white. Her shoulders dropped and she tossed away the weapon, covering her mouth with both hands. Cato's sword flew by, not inches away from her face and stuck into the dummy's head, knocking it down.

"But his time will come, soon"


	8. Chapter 8

_Maybe I will get to see my family too, and tell them how much I missed them all this time… Maybe they will be proud of me… One day, when all this is over…_

Cato had already boarded the Capitol train with the rest of the staff and was currently abusing what normally would have been Haymitch's alcohol supply. But the mentor would probably be too drunk to notice anyway. Outside it was a sunny day with barely any clouds in the sky and he was glancing at the platform where Katniss and Peeta were saying goodbye to their families. When Gale had to pull a struggling and crying Prim out of Katniss' arms, he turned away from the window.

Hazel was there too, on a couch nearby, observing him. "Not getting soft now, are you Cato?" she asked with a hint of bitterness.

He snorted. "Nah, just… I think this whole saying goodbye thing sucks. Brings up a few bad memories of my own."

"I guess…"

"I really don't envy them at all. Being a Victor is clearly overrated" Cato said. "Look at them, they're all cracked" he added passing the bottle to her.

Hazel took a long sip. "You know what they say, that one walks into the Arena but never gets to leave it. Dead or alive, there's no way out"

"I don't feel that way, Hazel. Sometimes I feel hurt, sometimes angry, but I don't know… it's like it's not about me anymore, or not that much about me. I think mostly of my family, and of Clove – we were friends – but not of me. I don't have that feeling that, you know, the Capitol is somewhere up there deciding my fate. I kind of… feel free"

"That's because technically you don't exist anymore, Cato" she said with a light smile.

"You know, I never had a family, well, not a loving one anyway. But when I was selected at the reaping I met Haymitch, and I was like, wow! – swept off my feet" Hazel laughed. "I was very young back then, and he was younger too. He was the first Victor I'd ever seen in the flesh, and to me he was like, you know, something out of the ordinary"

Cato stared at her in disbelief, then instantly chuckled "No! _You_ had a crush on Haymitch Abernathy?"

"I was fourteen!" she laughed back. "Anyway, when I got back I thought, you know, since I had no one else, that I could just stick with him, and in a way I did and I guess I'll always do, but…" her smile faded as she talked "he's trapped in his own world, in his own nightmares, and there's no way out, no matter what I do"

She leaned on the window sill, next to him, glancing outside. "It's too late for Haymitch, he's too old, but it's not too late for them"

"Maybe… maybe it's not too late for her…" Cato whispered absentminded.

But then Hazel raised a questioning glance up at him and he instantly kicked himself inwardly.

"You know, Katniss doesn't love Peeta but…" she began.

He crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side, ironical. "Fire girl doesn't love Lover Boy, but?" he translated.

"But he makes a fantastic cranberry juice" she said and a large grin spread on her face. Saying that she pulled away and headed towards her room.

Cato frowned, a bit puzzled. "What? Wait, _WHAT_? Hazel! He's too old for you- No! He's too young for you!" he shouted.

"Great cranberry juice, Cato" he heard her say before the door to her room slammed shut.

* * *

 

Katniss had already become disgusted with the luxury meals provided in the Capitol trains and there was too much on her mind to bear another tedious dinner with Effie, Haymitch and the prep teams. If Peeta felt the same, he was successfully concealing it, as he made pleasant conversation with his stylists. Thank God that at least that dreadful 'fatigue' make-up they'd put on him that morning was gone. Yet she did not leave the table. She sat motionless and silent, stabbing her food with her fork randomly. Her gaze rested on Hazel and Cato, and she observed how good they were pretending to be eating. They were wearing eccentric costumes and make-up again, but somehow, now that she knew who they really were, it didn't look that grotesque anymore. She still had mixed feelings about Cato, but she'd had a glimpse of a side of him she had never thought existed.

He had picked up his wine glass to refill it when he noticed her staring at him and looked back, in a neutral manner. Then Portia began to tell some story about Capitol highlife and his attention was drawn away from her.

 _I look at you and I don't feel anything._ Katniss felt a painful sting she could not explain.

"… and you should have seen the jewels she wore at the Ball of Flowers this spring!" Portia said excited. "The purest sapphires! They looked absolutely dazzling on that barely there white dress! And that red wavy hair! Spectacular!"

"Oh, that just sounds so posh!" Hazel exclaimed, waving a pink feathered fan. "And what is her name again?"

"Cornelia Sheere… Maybe you didn't catch her name, but you must have seen her at least once. All stylist adore her, including Cinna – and we all know he's a picker" Portia chuckled. "And me, oh, I'd just _love_ working with her. She's the ultimate muse"

"Maybe we did see her, didn't we Gala?" Cato cut in. "But I don't know, is she an actress?"

"Actress and singer" Peeta's stylist confirmed. "But that's not why she's famous" she chuckled again, partially covering her mouth with her manicured fingers. "She was with a senator before, but the poor idiot was removed from office and some say it was because of her. But not to worry, she's recently landed a much better man – younger and apparently richer too – none other than the lead Game maker!"

"Oh, you mean Seneca Crane?"

Katniss suddenly lifted her gaze and glanced around the table. Hazel kept the fly pretense but her eyes had almost imperceptibly darkened.

"Maybe we'll get to meet her again at the Games…" Cato said suggestively.

* * *

 

_Katniss was back in the Arena, in the middle of a horrible thunderstorm. She could see nothing in the dark, except for occasional lightning flashes. She was desperately running for cover, running for her life, and all around her everybody was dying – Glimmer stung to death and horribly deformed by tracker-jackers, Rue brought down by Marvel's spear, life leaving her fragile body while Katniss screamed and begged, Clove's body being dropped not inches away from her, with pale face and empty eyes, Cato ripped to shreds by the growling mutts. She stumbled and fell into a deep puddle of mud that instantly began to suck her in, and she struggled desperately, already suffocating in the air which was filled with the heavy scent of roses and blood._

Her eyes opened in the obscurity of her room, and she remained motionless under the sheets, covered in a cold sweat.

 _PEETA!_ she called without a sound, her mouth barely forming the word, while her arm shyly stretched to her left and patted the mattress. But Peeta wasn't there. No one was there. She was all alone, in the dark.

Suddenly she couldn't take it anymore. Terror was squeezing her throat like an invisible claw and she wanted to cry, but her orbs had dried out. Without thinking, her hand found the bedside lamp and threw it into the farthest wall. Instead of startling her, the noise only fueled her rising anger. A crystal vase flew into the mirror, shattering it to pieces. She kept smashing and breaking everything she could get her hands on, until the lump clogging her throat was finally gone and she started to scream, falling on her hands and knees onto the shards.

The door slammed open and someone patted the wall for the light switch, swearing. Then Cato grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

"Katniss! KATNISS!" he shouted. "Damn it, _twelve_ , snap out of it!"

Her screams faded to a whimper. "They're all dead, Cato, they're all dead!" she murmured, tears welling down her face. "And blood… there's blood everywhere, so much blood, it drowns me" she added holding up her injured hands.

"Katniss listen-"

"And he promised me, he said to me that no matter what I do, there is no end to this, no end" she kept mumbling. "I did everything they wanted, I gave them everything, what more do they want? What more do they want from me?"

"Fuck them!" Cato hissed. "Do you hear me? Fuck them!"

Then he gently picked her up in his arms and carried her out of the room.


	9. Chapter 9

_Katniss lay on a large table in the middle of a brightly lit room. She was dressed in a silk creamy-white gown with pearls sewn all over and all around her white rose petals were scattered. But then she glanced down at her body and saw that they'd stuck countless long golden needles into her bare arms and legs. The crowd of Capitolites gathered around her had sinister grins of satisfaction plastered on their faces and she felt sick with pain and disgust. Then President Snow stooped over her and drove one of the needles through her heart. Her body jerked in a painful flinch but no sound escaped her lips as life slowly left her body._

" _Katniss! Katniss, wake up!"_

_It was Peeta's voice, coming from somewhere above. She tried to glance up and see him one last time, but her eyes were blind, dead._

"KATNISS!"

Something burned her left cheek and at first she saw red, then her eyes opened shyly to a bright light. She jerked her head away instantly.

"Maybe get that lamp off her face, Peeta?" someone said. "I'm done with her forehead"

"Oh! Right, sorry" he said and the bright light dwindled to a soothing semi-obscurity. Katniss finally dared to open her eyes fully, and discovered Peeta leaning over her, a look of concern on his face.

"Peeta! You're here…" she whispered, and then her hand flew to her cheek and she it rubbed cautiously.

"I'm sorry, I slapped you. You were dreaming again and we couldn't wake you up" he explained apologetically, with a wry smile.

"But what happened?" she asked making an effort to sit up, but a stinging sensation in her knee stopped her short. She noticed that she was in the prep room, dressed in her light nightgown, and Hazel was carefully cleaning the scrapes and cuts on her legs with a soft sponge. Some light bandages had already been applied onto her hands.

"I think you had a nightmare, and then you woke up and wrecked everything in your room… You were awake when Cato found you, but by the time he brought you here you had fallen asleep again"

Katniss rubbed her temples slowly and groaned. "I don't remember… I don't remember anything"

Right then the door opened and Cato's massive figure came into view.

"Where's Haymitch?" Hazel asked and Peeta also looked up questioningly.

The Career shook his head. "He's passed out in the living room…"

Just as he was saying that, Cinna pushed past him and hurried to where Katniss was sat, kneeling at her side. "What happened? How did you get hurt?" he asked preoccupied. "Guys?" he asked for help as Katniss had trouble finding her words.

"She had a very bad nightmare and then she woke up abruptly and broke a few things, I think…" Peeta explained. "She's got a few cuts from the shards"

Katniss looked up at him as he talked.

_I'm afraid of sleeping alone in these damn Capitol trains. I always was and you know it. They bring the worst of my nightmares and I find myself stuck back in there, at the Games_

But this time she could no longer ask Peeta to remain with her. He already knew that she didn't love him – she would have died for him gladly, but she didn't love him the way he loved her – and to keep him that close in these circumstances would have been too much of a cruelty from her part.

"Wait!" Peeta suddenly said and dug inside his pocket. "Katniss, did you by any chance take this?" he asked holding up a small phial containing some sort of iridescent liquid.

"What is that?" Hazel frowned.

"I found it on her bedside when I tried to clean up at least some of the mess"

Cinna picked up the phial and examined it in the light, then uncorked it and carefully smelled the contents. "My God…" he whispered. "It's a very powerful drug. I took some of this when I was younger" The stylist looked a bit embarrassed by the confession. "I foolishly thought it would make me more creative, because it is highly hallucinogen. But it's very dangerous, it has serious side effects"

"Katniss? Did you take this?" Peeta insisted.

"I-I thought it would help me sleep" she replied weakly.

"Listen Kat, who gave you this?" Hazel asked gently. "Did Haymitch…?"

"If Haymitch were to give her something, I think it would have been booze, not drugs" Cato cut in.

"I don't know, I just found it in my room tonight and yes, I thought Haymitch got it for me, because he knew I had nightmares…" Katniss managed to say.

"Haymitch would never give her that" Hazel stated. "It must be Capitol's hand - shit trainer, and now drugs. Fucking hell, it gets better and better"

Peeta buried his face in his hands, while Cinna sighed and shook his head.

"What if it was Flavius?" he suggested.

"It could have been Flavius, or it could have been someone else, there's a lot of staff on this train, people from Capitol, whom we don't know"

Hazel pondered for a while, weighting the phial in her palm. "I think we should empty this and put it back on her nightstand. Every night from now on. If they think that she continues to take it, maybe they will not try anything else that we cannot foresee"

"Yes, Hazel is right" Cinna agreed. "Peeta, please stay with her tonight" he then added. "You two better wake up Haymitch. We must let him know what's going on"

"Yeah, probably the hard way…" Cato muttered.

* * *

 

Katniss still felt lightheaded and weak. Peeta hadn't been of much help, the drug was too strong and despite his efforts she'd been falling in and out of horrid dreams all night. Then, she'd woken up to Effie's un-dissimulated enthusiasm that 'today is yet another big, big day!', which was in itself a quite exhausting thing. They'd just arrived in District 11, and soon she and Peeta would have to give a speech in front of the crowd. Haymitch was grumpy due to a bad hangover and he'd given her and Peeta no indication as to what speech they were supposed to deliver, other than that is should be 'moderate'. _Moderate_ she repeated to herself bitterly. In fact, she doubted that she could do it at all. Rue's family would be there, and Thresh's too. Would they hate them because they were alive, while their children had perished? Would Rue's parents blame her for failing to protect their daughter as she'd promised?

She was now sat in the improvised prep room inside the Justice Building, trying to think about anything else but this, while her stylists were busy around her. Cinna had made her a pearly grey dress for the occasion, very simple but stylish. She ran a hand over the soft, smooth fabric covering her knee, it felt so pleasant to the touch. It had been so long since she'd last thought of anything even remotely pleasant.

"There, we're almost done with your make-up, Kat" Hazel said with a light smile.

Katniss finally glanced at her own face in the large mirror. Her pallor had been concealed by a rosy blush discreetly applied on her cheekbones, and more generously to the lips. It made her look innocent, almost childish.

"I'm going to get Cinna to take a last look at you, before you're ready to go" the girl added and walked out of the room.

Behind her, Cato was finishing braiding her hair in her trademark style that Cinna found it suited her best. She couldn't help noticing how light his fingers felt in her hair as he worked. That was another thing about mutants – they had the ability to adapt to all sorts of circumstances and rapidly acquire a large range of skills, and Katniss was equally frightened and fascinated by the idea.

"It's just a speech, Katniss" Cato suddenly said, interrupting her musings. _Damn it, is he reading my mind?_

No, Cato couldn't read her thoughts, but the hidden tension that her fragile body couldn't help betraying hadn't escaped him.

"I'm not thinking of the speech" she lied, desperate to escape her inner torment. "I'm just thinking that well, that day when we all met at the chariot parade I had definitely not imagined that one day…" She stopped second guessing herself. Maybe she shouldn't joke like that, not with him.

"That one day what?" he wanted to know.

Katniss took a deep breath. "That one day the ruthless, brutal District 2 Career Cato would be doing my hair…" she finally dared to say.

Cato himself had surely never imagined it, nor did he particularly like the role he had to play, but he had to admit that there was a certain humor about the situation.

"Well, nobody said that this mission was going to be easy" he replied. "Or at least _dignified_ " He tried to sound serious but ended up chuckling.

Katniss only managed a wry smile in return, as she glanced up at him in the mirror.

"You were right, I do think of the speech" she confessed, chewing her lower lip hesitantly before she continued. "It's not like those stupid interviews in front of the Capitol crowd, or with Capitol journalists, where all you have to do is smile and say what they want to hear, namely how happy you are, how exciting and just amazing everything is, oh and how _grateful_ you feel for everything that the Capitol has done for you…"

She shook her head and bitterness overwhelmed her again. "No, you can't just smile and tell people from the Districts what they want to hear, Cato, because they don't want to hear anything… They don't want to see me happy and smiling when they got their children back in a box… They'll hate me…"

Cato let go of her braid and stepped in front of her, and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

"No, Katniss, they won't hate you. They will know better than to hold you responsible for their loss" _If I know better than to hate you, they will know it too…_ "They were grateful for what you did for that little girl, you were a beacon of hope"

"I don't dare think of hope, Cato" she whispered, on the verge of tears.

"Yet there is hope, Katniss" he said softly.

She stared back into his icy blue eyes as he took her in. He was no longer the ruthless, brutal Career, but rather the _indestructible,_ _tower of strength_ Cato, and as long as he was by her side, she knew that she would be just as strong. The train of her thoughts was cut short when suddenly he leaned in and his lips met hers.


	10. Chapter 10

He was no longer the ruthless, brutal Career, but rather the indestructible, tower of strength Cato, and as long as he was by her side, she knew that she would be just as strong.

 _Wait, just WHAT THE HELL was that?_ And then he had kissed her. _WHAT THE HELL?_

But she'd had no more time to think it further, because in the next moment Haymitch had burst into the room, apparently more sober than at breakfast, and by that time Cato had already pulled away and was busying himself collecting the make-up instruments as if nothing had happened. In fact, he'd moved so fast that she almost doubted anything had happened at all.

Katniss walked out on the sunny terrace of the Justice Building, holding Peeta's hand, and waved at the crowd with an automatic gesture. She knew that their enthusiasm was forced, just as it was the large smile plastered on her face. She glanced over to Peeta as he began to talk first. Haymitch had advised that he should do most of the talking and it was undoubtedly a good idea. Unlike her, Peeta had a way with words and with the crowd, a certain pleasantness that was genuine. In turn, all she had mustered was a fake smile beyond which she could still feel Cato's kiss on her lips. She couldn't help looking at Peeta and feeling like a traitor, even if it hadn't been her fault. Then her eyes spotted Rue's family in the front row and all such thoughts were gone from her mind. The parents weren't looking at her and Peeta, they just stood there with their heads bowed, burdened by their pain, and so did the two older brothers. But Rue's little sister met her gaze with a curious, innocent and unsuspecting look in her large brown eyes. Katniss wondered if maybe she was too young to even understand what was going on, too young to understand what had happened to her sister and another pang of guilt shot through her.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked back the stinging tears, as Peeta squeezed her hand and she knew that it was her turn to speak. But when it came to that, all the gratitude she felt for the people of District 11 for that hard earned piece of bread and all the sorrow she inwardly shared with them were reduced to a few formal, empty words she uttered in a slightly cracked voice. And then it was over, Effie led them back inside the Justice Building emphasizing the need to stick to their tight schedule, and she was finally able to let go of Peeta's hand and shake off that composed appearance that she'd struggled to maintain.

"That went well, sweetheart" Haymitch commented as she pushed past him. "You were your usual charmless self, but I guess in this situation it is good that you didn't talk much, they're paying extra attention to what you're saying these days"

She ignored him.

"It's alright Katniss, you did just fine" Peeta said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder as he caught up with her on the way back to the train. She shook her head, slowly pushing his hand away. She could not bear his comfort, not now, not anymore. She had stopped deserving it a while ago.

"No I didn't, Peeta! There was so much I wanted to say, but I just couldn't, my mind just went blank!"

"It was what you did for Rue that really meant something to them, Katniss, it wasn't words that they needed"

"But I just stood there with that stupid smile on my face and I almost said nothing! Nothing! I was awful!" she cried.

Peeta led her into the living-room compartment and poured a cup of iced tea as she dropped to a sofa, kicking off her shoes and pulling her knees to her chest.

"You said nothing because there was nothing to say" he whispered placing the drink carefully in front of her.

Katniss sighed, letting her back sink into the soft cushions. "Why can't I be like you, Peeta? You always know what to say, how to talk your way out of things…"

"That's just how it goes, Katniss. You can't be like me or I like you. I was never good at fighting my way out of things" he replied with a light smile, and then walked away.

 _That's what I'm good at – fighting. I don't know how to talk to people, I don't know how to comfort them, I don't know what to do or how to be most of the time. All I know is how to hunt, fight, and kill_ Katniss thought bitterly.

_Just like Cato_

* * *

 

The simple thought of his name made her jump up to her feet, angry. Just what the hell had he been thinking, doing _that_? What kind of game was the bastard playing after all? She stormed out of the living-room, heading to the prep teams' quarters. She walked all the way to the back of the train, where Portia and her assistants were having a late lunch. Hazel was with Haymitch, Effie and Cinna in the main dining-room, and nobody had seen Cato anywhere.

Katniss was not one to give up though, so she proceeded to open the door to his room with one forceful push. She was met with a rather disconcerting sight – empty bottles and glasses scattered everywhere, as well as casually tossed clothing and various instruments. On the bright side, apparently there were no weapons around. The mess hardly surprised her, she'd imagined nothing else of him. However, she hadn't imagined that he would be hiding. He may have been many things, but not a coward. Casting a quick glance around the small bedroom, she spotted a still half-full bottle of unidentified content, but which smelled familiar, probably whiskey. She held it up, examining the auburn color into the light. It didn't look so foul. And maybe it wasn't so bad, after all it had kept Haymitch going all these years. Without much thinking, she tried to take a sip, but the bottle was snatched from her hand before the liquid could touch her lips.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" Cato growled behind her and she snapped out of her trance.

"What the hell do _you_ think you're doing? Huh?" Katniss shouted, turning to face him. So he wasn't hiding after all. Good. "What the hell was that, earlier? Why did you- _HOW DARED YOU_?"

Unlike her, Cato had not spent much time analyzing that little detail. It had been an impulse, a reaction to one of the rare moments when she actually allowed someone to really see her, and not this ever grumpy, unpleasant person that would have never brought her any sponsors if it hadn't been for Haymitch and Lover Boy.

"That was just… friendly" he said in a neutral tone, unfazed by her outburst.

She snorted. "Friendly? Do you really think it is _friendly_ to act like this, when you've admitted yourself that you don't know why you're not ripping me to shreds right here and now? Can't you see you're just throwing me off balance?"

Cato blinked and Katniss instantly wanted to slap herself. She should have never let him see her weakness, it was more than she could take. She chewed on her lower lip nervously, thinking of a way to fix it.

"You know, I did it because I almost like you when you're really being yourself and you don't put up this obnoxious and aggressive front" he suddenly said.

Katniss stared at him in disbelief. "What? I'm not putting anything up, this is who I am, whether you like it or not!"

"No shit, _Girl on fire_? I bet that before you had to hunt to feed your family you had actually thought that squirrels and deer were cute and it had never occurred to you to shoot them just for the sake of it!" he retorted. "This is not who you are, it's just who you think that you have to be!"

She took a deep breath as he drew closer and shook her head. "No, you're wrong! I maybe just like you say, like Haymitch says, like everyone says – rude, charmless, obnoxious, aggressive, but it has kept me alive until now, because I am not weak! Do you hear me, Cato? I'm not weak!"

"Then how can I throw you off balance?" Cato asked with an almost inconspicuous smirk.

She didn't answer, just shoved him aside and walked out of the room with a scowl.

* * *

 

She barely spoke to him at all for the rest of the Victory Tour, at least until they arrived in District 2. And then it suddenly didn't feel right to her to keep the silence anymore. The other speeches had been easy, she barely remembered the other tributes, except for Foxface, but this time she would face his family, and Clove's. Also Brutus and Enobaria were going to be there, and they both frightened her.

But now, on this day, Cato was carefully applying blush on her cheekbones with a soft brush and her eyes followed the precise and swift movements of his hand. If he was nervous or the tiniest bit tense, he wasn't showing it at all.

"Cato… you know that your family will be out there… "Katniss began, partly for the sake of breaking the awkward silence. "What did your parents say when they found out that you didn't die?"

"That I didn't die?" he asked surprised. She flinched, but there was no trace of hostility in his voice. "But I did die, Katniss. And no, I didn't tell them that I've become _a mutant_. I'd only put them in danger, not to mention…"

"What?"

"How they'd probably feel about it"

"How can you say that? They're your parents! I'm sure they'd feel better than knowing that they'll never see you again"

"Maybe they will see me again" Cato muttered, fumbling with the make-up box. "When it's safe"

Katniss glanced up at him questioningly. "You say it as if it will ever be safe…"

"Maybe it will be"


	11. Chapter 11

"We have a problem" Hazel said as she walked out on the balcony reserve and sat down, pulling out her electric pink gloves in one swift move and tossing them on the small table. "It seems that I have underestimated Seneca Crane's 'degree of difficulty'"

The Career leaned back in the cushioned armchair and drummed his fingers on the velvet arm, preoccupied. "What do you mean?"

"Well I had not foreseen the implications of him also being involved in the Iron Games. This is much more serious, a lot of people bet a lot of money on one fighter or another, so there is a very high potential pressure on Seneca to 'take sides'. That's why he has an apartment in the maximum security facility called _The Shell_ ". She shook her head and chewed her lip. "It's a fucking fortress!"

"How do you know that?"

"There was a fine gentleman down there that was more than eager to share his knowledge with pretty little girls like me. All I had to do was to give him a really sweet smile" she muttered picking a glass from the table. "And eventually to force him out of my cleavage"

"Shit!" Cato swore."How will we get inside then? I don't suppose we can get any help…"

Hazel clicked her tongue. "No, we can't and we would need time to devise a plan for that, and time is what we don't have. The Games will begin in two days. He must be dead by then if we want to even hope for a delay. I suppose the best option would be to drive him out of there somehow"

Cato glanced down at the colorful crowd partying below and leaned on the balustrade. "There just might be a way to do that…" he mused out loud, pointing at the redheaded woman in a sparkling green dress, who was swaying carefree in the middle of the dance floor. "Cornelia Sheere"

His companion grimaced and pulled at her tight latex sleeves, before reaching for another drink. "Well guess what, that's why we came at this ridiculous party in the first place. I thought of her from the very moment Portia mentioned her name at dinner". She paused and sighed. "But I was hoping that once we got here there would be another way to get to him, one that didn't involve anyone else and if possible with less uncertainty. Because you know, there might be a problem with her"

Cato snorted. "What problem? She's harmless and I've got this" He dug into his trousers pocket and produced a small container full of iridescent liquid. "All the doses they kept leaving on Katniss' nightstand for these past two weeks. I brought it just in case we might need it…"

Hazel rolled her eyes. "I'm not worried about how dangerous _she_ might be, Cato! The problem is her reputation. I mean, yes, she is officially with Seneca, everybody's buzzing about it, but she is a whore. That's a known fact, so I doubt that they could have a particularly profound relationship. So the problem is that he may not give a fuck about her" she said dryly. "Or at least not enough to take any risks"

"But he's got no family, no one else that we know of" Cato replied." And she's a very beautiful woman…"

She glanced up at him with a hint of amusement and she shook her head. "That doesn't mean anything, she's not irreplaceable or something, and this is fucking Capitol. But I suppose that's the one thing we've got and we'll go with it"

"When?"

Hazel could sense that he was nervous, fidgeting with the phial in his hand. God, why did he have to be so young? But at the end of the day he'd been the best choice. "Tonight. It begins tonight"

* * *

 

Katniss glanced again around the sumptuous hotel apartment behind her, before returning to the window and to the sight of the surrounding Capitol lights. The silence filled her with dread, yet she sought solitude. She was definitely not in the mood of seeing anyone right now. Of course, they had not been spared of social duties in the short time before official opening of the Iron Games – there were parties and events to attend and sometimes President Snow himself would be there. His proximity was frightening and she was always under the impression that he was watching her. Like a predator lurking in the shadows, his gaze kept burning into her. Then Katniss would squeeze Peeta's hand harder, but it was useless – they could all see through her lie. Not _their_ lie, hers and hers alone. As a crystal clear proof of it, that night Peeta had been invited somewhere alone, without her. She couldn't help feeling a bit relieved about it, maybe it was an indication that they were beginning to associate him less with her, and that meant there was a faint hope that their fate may not be have been bound after all. That maybe, once she was done with, they would let him go.

 _The day after tomorrow they'll draw the names for the first fights – and mine will be there_ she thought. _Snow is growing impatient, he is getting tired of this game, he wants it done._ Maybe it was better, she wanted it done too. The sooner the better.

"Are you ready? I've got the flashlights" she heard Hazel say. "Katniss? I thought you were in your room" the girl then added surprised.

"Yeah, I just didn't want to turn on the lights. Haymitch and Cinna are out so… I'd just thought I'd be alone in here" she replied leaving her seat and drawing closer. She then examined their outfits curiously – they wore black boots and trousers, and short hooded raincoats, similar to the one she'd worn in the Arena. They had no make-up on and the blue highlights were gone from Cato's hair, while Hazel had hers swept up in a simple ponytail.

"Where are you two going?" she asked puzzled.

"Listen, don't worry, ok?" Hazel answered in a low voice." There is something we need to take care of…"

"Come on, we have to go now, he should be there in about an hour" Cato interrupted impatient, motioning towards the door.

 _Seneca Crane_ Katniss realised and her eyes went wide with horror. "No! You-you can't go! It's too dangerous!" she cried, suddenly gripping Cato's arm.

He looked down at her pained and frightened expression. Did she really care? But then images of the previous night invaded his mind again – Cornelia's arms around his shoulders as they danced, her lust filled eyes as she'd drawn him in that remote room, her tongue exploring his mouth, her eager hands pulling his robe over his head, those sharp fake nails grazing over his bare skin. And on top of everything, that bittersweet, almost nauseating perfume of which she'd put a ton on herself. Who'd have guessed she could be so repulsive after all, good thing he'd made her take the drug before things could get any further. Overall, it had been easy, but the disgust persisted. He involuntarily jerked his arm away from her touch.

"Hazel, it's too dangerous!" Katniss pleaded again. "How do you even think you could do this?"

"Katniss, look…" Hazel began, but she didn't really know what to say to make it sound better. "There is no other way. We have to…"

"NO! No you don't! I won't let you die for me!" she shouted, her eyes filling with tears. "You can't! It's not fair! It's not fair!"

Hazel reached and caressed her hair, ever so gently. "Please, don't worry about us. We'll be just fine" Then she headed out the door and the Career followed.

"No! Wait! Cato, please, we need to talk!" Katniss still tried.

"We'll talk when I get back" he grumbled and the door closed behind him.

"NO! Hazel! Cato!" She burst into tears, falling down on her knees against the cold wooden door. _Cato_ …

* * *

 

The Arena had been preserved intact and it was available for Capitol visitors for another few months before they would begin changing it for the following year's Hunger Games. But now, close to midnight, the numerous lights had been mostly turned off, and the vast space beneath the cupola was sunken in semi-obscurity.

"Do you think he'll show up?" Cato asked, as they sneaked quietly towards the Cornucopia.

"I surely hope so. I'd hate to have to go after him in _The Shell_ " Hazel grumbled, but suddenly her face lit up. "No fucking way!" she laughed. "Look over there!"

All the weapons that had been used at the last edition of the Games were displayed inside the Cornucopia, exactly as they had been in the beginning, in the first day. It was an insane luck. Cato climbed inside and grabbed the sword he'd laid eyes on. He instantly felt better weighting it in his hand and closing his fingers around the handle.

"Quick, someone's coming!" Hazel observed, glancing back towards the gates. They rushed towards the nearby trees at the edge of the clearing and climbed up.

"There he is"

Seneca Crane's figure came into view, but he was not alone. At least twenty Peacekeepers were following, guns at the ready.

"Oh fuck!" Hazel cursed under her breath. "Well that was to be expected"

"CORNELIA! CORNELIA! What have you done with her?" Crane shouted. He looked ruffled and tormented, unkempt, and his hair fell on his face in disorder.

"There! I saw a movement, there, in the forest!" one of the Peacekeepers observed.

"Sir, wait here. We'll get them, don't worry" another one told Seneca, but the Game maker began to shout again and the man had to hold him in place.

"Please, I have money! I'll do what you want! I'll do anything you want! Just don't hurt her, please! CORNELIA!"

Then he heard some sort of whimper and shouted even louder. The Peacekeepers hurried towards the forest, leaving him all alone in the clearing. They picked up the trail of the intruders, but they moved too fast to get a glimpse of. Eventually the first few of them left the woods behind and reached the lake shore. There they saw a petite girl lying down on the ground and left their guns down, advancing in her direction.

"Miss Sheere? Are you alright?"

Hazel suddenly jumped up to her feet and the first two men were put to the ground by her battle axes before they even realized what was going on. She tore the riffle from another in the blink of an eye and punched him in the face with the handle, then used the weapon as a mace to bring down another three. She then shot another few as they emerged from the forest firing. When they were all dead she stopped to look at her left arm. It bled like hell. She swore out loud. Moments later Cato also came out from behind the trees, the blade of his sword drenched in blood. He was limping slightly and his forehead was bleeding.

"Fuck it!" he swore, scrubbing a hand over his face and wiping it away on his trousers. "How long does it take until the wounds heal?"

"The leg probably about twenty minutes, it looks pretty bad" she stated.

Cato swore some more. "Well we have no time for this, we can't let him get away. Let's go!"

* * *

 

Seneca had heard gunshots and screams further away into the forest, and he hurried towards the Cornucopia. He knew he'd made a bad mistake – the note asked him to come alone. What had they done to poor Cornelia? He cursed his job. He'd been threatened by insane gamblers before, but it had never come to this. This was Capitol, he was a celebrity, and so was Cornelia. Who would have dared? He suddenly noticed that some weapons were missing from the panel. Then he heard the sound of someone or something crawling on top of the metal structure and he froze in terror.

"You should have run for cover, Seneca" a voice said and he turned, flinching. "Don't you know there's always a bloodbath at the Cornucopia? And you're hardly a Career"

"What do you want?" he shouted in a cracked voice. "What have you done with Cornelia? Where is she?"

"Don't worry, your whore is fine, just dead drunk and locked in a closet" Hazel said stepping closer and pulling her hood down.

" _You..._ " the Game maker whispered in a mixture of horror and fascination. "No, it's not true. It can't be. You're dead"

"Yes, and now I've come for you"

Seneca stumbled a few steps back. "Nooo… this is some kind of sinister joke"

Hazel's eyes narrowed. "JOKE? It's no joke, I'm a mutant!"

"You're an abomination" he said, pulling further away and covering his mouth with his hand disgusted.

"I am what you made me!" she yelled.

"No, no no! You should have stayed the fuck dead! And now I'll-"

Cato jumped down from the Cornucopia and grabbed his collar, slamming his back into the cold metal. "You're not going anywhere!" he growled.

Seneca's eyes widened in shock. "You! I know you! You're that monster from District 2!" he shrieked. "But how…?" His gaze trailed over to Hazel. "You should be dead! _DEAD_! All of you! That's why you were brought here, to die!" he yelled hysterically. "You deserve nothing else, you filthy District scum! You mindless beasts! The Capitol will crush you all-"

He didn't get to finish his words before the Career thrust his sword deep into his torso and pressed it with clenched teeth until the Game maker's body went limp.

Hazel took a deep breath, almost like a sigh of relief. "After all these years… it's done" Beside her, Cato fell down on his knees and began to weep silently.


	12. Chapter 12

" _WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?_ You've put us all in danger! What if you had been captured? You could have gotten all of us completely and totally _FUCKED!_ "

Katniss had eventually dozed off on the edge of her bed, but jumped up startled hearing Haymitch yelling in the hallway. She ran to the door and pressed her ear onto the polished wood.

"Oh come on Haymitch, get a fucking grip on yourself!"

"But all those people dead! It's horrific! Not to mention the kind of attention it might draw-"

"Huh! _You_ and your friends want to overthrow the Panem government! How did you think this was going to be? That you would kindly ask them to step aside and they would? Honestly now!"

"Haymitch, Hazel is right" Cinna intervened. "When he decided to get involved in this we knew from the start that it would be…"

Then the door suddenly opened and Katniss was nearly knocked down. She took a few steps back as Cato walked in and closed it back after him.

"Cato! You're back!" she whispered. Then her gaze fell down on his dirty and bloodied clothes. "Oh my God! What happened? Are you alright?"

"Yeah..." He motioned toward a package of plastic sheet he was currently holding in his hand. "I brought you something"

Katniss held her breath, genuinely hoping it wasn't a piece of someone, but she still took it and opened it with trembling hands. Inside, carefully tied together, were the bow and arrows she'd had during the Hunger Games. She gasped and couldn't help running her fingers over the smooth aluminum surface.

"Where did you get this?"

"Where you left it" he replied with a brief smirk. "I thought you might want to have it…"

"Thank you" she murmured shyly, and then looked up at him. "Is he dead? Seneca Crane?"

Cato sighed and shook his head. "Sadly the odds were not in his favor… so yeah"

For a moment she thought he was going to grin, but he didn't. And she noticed that he looked neither triumphant nor satisfied, just tired.

"Are you sure you're ok? You don't look too good" She placed the bow on her bed, and took his hand. "Come on"

She led him into the small bathroom adjacent to her bedroom and made him sit down. "Let's take a look at those wounds" she added concerned. She took a small sponge and soaked it in water, then gently began to clean the dried blood smeared on his face. But to her surprise, beneath it the skin was smooth and flawless, not even a mark had remained on it. Her eyes widened and she noticed that he was observing her. Without really knowing what she was doing, she stooped and cupped his face with both hands before pressing her mouth on his. She'd intended it to be brief and soft, but suddenly he stood up, slamming her back on the tiled wall and the kiss got significantly rougher. Cato wasn't the gentle type, she remembered as her hands shyly found their way down and grabbed the hem of his shirt and yanked it up. He only broke the kiss to allow her to pull it over his head, and then continued to devour her mouth. Her inexperienced fingers proceeded to explore his torso and up his shoulders, then the back of his neck, eventually tangling in his short hair. She inhaled deeply, taking in his scent. A smell of forest, of dirt and of blood – the wild scent of a hunter.

Then someone cleared their throat and Katniss pulled back abruptly to see Haymitch staring at them. _Shit!._ Cato groaned against her neck.

"The… this is just…" she tried to say, but the mentor made a dismissal gesture.

"Whatever it is, sweetheart, I really don't want to know. And trust me, I'm not even by far drunk enough for that. I just came to say that tonight's 'great accomplishment' just got all over the news and for now it is uncertain what will happen in respect of the Iron Games"

"Oh… they will not begin this week?" Katniss asked.

"I have no idea"Haymitch shrugged, but then pointed a finger at them. "But on to the current matters, I don't think you should-"

She didn't get to hear the end of it, because Cato slammed the bathroom door in his nose and placed his hands on the wall, on either side of her head, his mouth resuming the ministrations on her neck.

 _I only have a few days left anyway_ she eventually told herself and allowed her light nightgown to join his shirt down on the floor.

* * *

 

"How did he die?"

"He was run through with a sword or a similar weapon, Sir. We believe that it was one of the weapons that were found missing from the Cornucopia"

President Snow straightened his back in his armchair and ran a hand through his hair, thoughtful. "So, stabbed to death in the Arena…" he concluded. "I can't say it's particularly regrettable, he brought us enough trouble as it was. And now he's got himself an end befitting a Game maker, one might add. You have to admit to the irony of the situation"

"Yes, sir" his secretary agreed.

"And what of the Peacekeepers what were with him? No survivors?"

"None, sir. Some of them were shot with one of their rifles, others slaughtered, apparently also using the missing weapons. It was nothing short of a bloodbath there"

"And how would you explain this?"

The secretary cleared his throat. "Well, sir, Mr. Crane had received many threats before. The Iron Games-"

"Yes, yes I know, the Iron Games are a great stake for many. Yet I do recall that a similar incident has occurred a few months ago, in… District 9 wasn't it? At least a dozen Peacekeepers slaughtered in the woods, not a trace of the killers… many shot with their own guns"

"Yes sir, they were pursuing some escapees from District 9. They were captured and interrogated but-"

"Interrogated?" Snow snorted. "I know, a family with two children, the father crippled in a work accident a couple of years back. I dare think it wasn't them"

"Do you think it could have been rebels, sir?"

Snow rubbed his chin. "Rebels? Could any rebels be that professional, that efficient and not leave a trace? Can rebels sneak under our noses into the Capitol and murder our citizens? No, Franks, I don't think so. I have seen rebels back in the days, brute District people driven mad by fear and hatred… No, this is not the work of rebels at all. More likely it's someone inside the Capitol – someone who knows us well, who has studies us carefully" he said pointing to the large city outside his windows. "And someone with the kind of resources to pull such stunts and confident that they will get away with it"

"Could this be a political move, sir?" the secretary Franks suggested. "Think of it - the pessimists already assume that we might be on the brink of a new District uprising, and right now, just days before the beginning of the Iron Games, in which that girl who started it all is to take part, there's this terrible murder. And what happened in District 9. What if someone is trying to discredit the government, and ultimately you, sir? To prove that right now when things are about to boil you cannot handle the situation"

President Snow's expression darkened. "But we can and we _will_ handle the situation, won't we, Mr. Franks?" He leaned forward on his desk. "Name a new Game maker to replace Seneca Crane now – there will be no more than one day delay in the beginning of the Games! And whoever this is that's causing all this trouble, _find them_!" he added in a menacing tone.

* * *

 

Katniss opened her eyes slowly to the bright light pouring in through the windows. For once in quite a long time she'd had a good, dreamless sleep. Cato had sneaked out of her room some time earlier to avoid further discovery and she found herself missing the feeling of his body against hers. She was still confused big time about the whole thing that had happened, but she didn't regret it. She wouldn't giggle over it as if it were a happy beginning, or get further confused and overanalyze how she really felt about it. The absence of a future made everything very simple - so it was better if she did her best not to think of it at all.

She pushed the covers aside, pulled on some sweat trousers and a t-shirt, and then glanced through the large window, to the world outside. The sky was so blue and the random clouds looked so soft and beautiful. Just like back home. She shook her head, not wanting to leave this newly found state of numbness. Numb was good.

An awkward silence met her in the living-room and she saw her mentor fretting nervously. Cato stood from the couch and drew closer to her, but she avoided his gaze for the moment.

"Haymitch? What's wrong?"

"Katniss listen… I'm afraid that all we managed to get you was an extra day, that's all" Cato said gently, placing his hands on her shoulders. "The Games will begin in two days"

She looked up at him and slowly reached to cup the side of his face. "It's ok. We knew this would happen anyway…" she murmured.

"Haymitch got a notice that they'll come for you today to take you to the _Coliseum_. All participants are kept there until the end of the Games" He shifted uncomfortably and rubbed the back of his neck. "Katniss I…"

"It's alright, Cato. I'm gonna be ok. Everything's gonna be ok" she said with a sad smile. Then she suddenly remembered something.

"Where's Peeta?"

Cato turned and looked at Haymitch, who downed his drink and cleared his throat. "Sweetheart, Peeta is…" he began running a hand through his hair. "He did not come back last night… You see, the thing is that… they took him"


	13. Chapter 13

"I don't really get what our plan is anymore" Haymitch shook his head. "I thought we could find a way for you to replace Katniss. But I guess that's off the charts now…"

"That wasn't possible. The closed visor helmets are optional and more likely than not the audience would have wanted to see her face, they'll want to put her on those big screens… No, what we hoped for was that if Seneca died they would delay the Games and thus give us a chance to get to Snow before – and then there would have been no more Games" Hazel explained.

The mentor poured himself another shot of vodka, downed it in one quick move and slammed the glass on the table. "Damn it! Then why didn't we get to Snow?"

"Because we don't have an army, Haymitch" Cinna said in a low voice. "He's the President – there are loads of guards around him, and he's not stupid. He wouldn't have kept the office for thirty years if he had been"

"Yeah… and now we just drew his attention further"

"There is no way that he can associate you and Katniss with the attacks" Hazel observed. "If anything, that might keep his mind occupied somewhere else and deter him from his fixation of killing her. After all, she's just a girl, and what he's got on his hands now is a much bigger threat"

"She's a very dangerous girl who could bring about a rebellion! Don't you see? Her bravery, her defiance were a beacon of hope for the people! And now they'll lose all that, and the bastards will win" He buried his face in his palms.

"We won't quit trying to get this done, Haymitch! And maybe after… just maybe he'll feel safe and he'll let his guard down, and then we'll get the chance to strike him down"

"Huh! After she and Peeta are dead, you mean!" the mentor jumped.

"We all wanted to save them" Cinna sighed. "Look, they're not the first tributes to die, but we can't lose hope that they might be the last"

"For God's sake! Do you listen to what you're saying? We're talking about their lives here! They… they're like my children! Like my children" Haymitch's voice broke with tears and he walked out of the room.

* * *

 

Katniss was sitting down in one corner of her new room hugging her knees and did not dare to move. They called it a room but it was obvious that it was a cell. Still comfortable but so small that it was suffocating. In fact, all the space beneath the _Coliseum_ was one damned, horrid dungeon. And those noises – sometimes she could make out something like the clinging of weapons, then something else that sounded like rattling of chains and the roars! That had frightened her the most – were they keeping _animals_ down here? She couldn't help imagining something like the mutts from the Cornucopia, or maybe the Game makers' sick imagination went even further for these games. Katniss had been surprised that her name had not been drawn up for the first day of Games. Not for the second either, but it would have been better than this dreadful confinement. And while she hadn't been able to see what was going on in the Arena above, she had heard almost everything. The audience's cheers as they went frantic, probably at the sight of blood, were like thunder, amplified a thousand times by the echoes of the accursed structure. Now, when she heard the door open, she knew that her time had eventually come. She made an effort to stand up on shaky legs.

"Cato! Hazel!"

"Katniss, are you ok?" he asked hurrying to embrace her. He held her tightly for a moment, caressing her hair. "Have they done anything to you?"

When he pulled away she shook her head. "No, but they kept me locked in here all this time. Where's Haymitch?"

"They only allowed us to come and prepare you… you'll be fighting tonight" Hazel said.

She swallowed a lump in her throat. _So this is it…_

"Do you have any news of Peeta? What have they done to him?"

"No. Just that he will be at the Games in President's Snow private lodge, so I don't think they've done anything to him. Not yet, anyway" Cato replied. "They probably just want to make sure you won't pull anymore stunts"

"What _stunts_ could I possibly pull now?" she wondered with a wry smile.

"Anyway, the good news is that they'll let you have your bow, out there" Hazel added. "We brought it for you"

Katniss made a helpless gesture. "But… Flavius said it would be of no use on such a short range and besides-"

"Oh, fuck Flavius!" Cato cut her. "Listen to me! You can do this, I know you can!"

She looked up into his eyes with a sad expression and shook her head. "No, Cato, I… I can't, they'll make sure of that … and even if I could, I don't want to kill any more people, I've done enough of that already…"

"Those" Hazel said pointing upwards "are not tributes, they fight and kill for money, and to see their fucking faces all over the news. And they would kill you for that, without the slightest hesitation"

"Hazel's right" Cato cupped her face with both hands and pressed his forehead against hers. "Listen, Katniss, you and I are more alike than you think. That's why I know how strong you really are! That whatever they'll throw at you, you can deal with it! Please, you can't give up now. We will bring them down, I promise you"

* * *

 

The Arena was enveloped in bright lights and the crowd of Capitolites was already fretting, impatient for the beginning of a new day of glory and death. Only a vague shadow of a grin passed over President Snow's lips while Peeta was escorted into his lodge by two Peacekeepers. He struggled to get away from their bruising grasp and one of them hit him across the face, forcing him down onto a chair.

"Sit down, Mr. Mellark" Snow said in a neutral tone. "I'm not that angry with you yet so don't make it happen"

Peeta shot him a glare, but said nothing. Then the older man took a small crystal plate handed by secretary Franks and placed it in front of the boy. On it there was a single black pill.

"I believe that once your beloved is dead, you will not find in yourself any more reason to live without her…" the President pointed, pressing a hand on his shoulder. Peeta squeezed his eyes shut.

On their lodge, several floors below and to the left, Haymitch was prey to his own hell. He was pacing back and forth and Cinna's attempts to calm him and make him sit down had remained fruitless. He seemed angry but helpless tears were already streaming down on his cheeks.

"Why? Why do they have to make us watch this? Why do I have to sit here and see her slaughtered before my eyes? _WHY_?

"When there are plenty of Capitolites out there who would kill for these seats" Cato snorted. "I bet they cost a fortune"

"Because we're her prep team and Haymitch is her mentor. They want to make sure that their message is clear"

Suddenly Cato's cell phone beeped. He pulled it out of his pocket and examined the screen with an obvious scowl and groaned.

"What it is?" Hazel asked.

He rolled his eyes, annoyed. "A message from Cornelia… She wants to meet me again later tonight"

"Oh shit! Is she here?" Hazel scrutinized the audience, but there was no sign of the red haired beauty." She can't see you with us, Cato!"

"No, with Seneca gone she couldn't get her greedy little hands on a ticket" He puffed. "Listen, why couldn't we just get rid of her instead of keeping this stupid pretense going? She's repelling!"

"Oh and that's just a taste of what you would have experienced as a Victor. Surprised? Look what happens to Finnick Odair"

Cato frowned. "But I don't look like Finnick Odair!"

"Yeah well… apparently some would beg to differ" she said with a quick smile. He groaned.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I have the honor of presenting you the first fight of this evening! The cunning, artful, gracious Lucius ' _Master of Cats_ ' Whisker, versus Katniss Everdeen, the _Girl on Fire_!" Claudius Templesmith announced and his words echoed all around the Arena. The wild rhythm of drums began pounding and the audience cheered loudly.

One of the iron gates at the base of the Arena was lifted and Katniss walked into view. Instantly, her face was shown on the big screens positioned from place to place and the crowd cheered some more in acknowledgement. She looked pale and frightened, but held her chin up, in somewhat of a proud stance. She wore an elaborate, artsy make-up and a shiny black armor that was designed to both protect and compliment her body. Then the opposite gate was also lifted and Lucius Whisker walked upon the bright white sand, a smug smile plastered on his face. Despite his somewhat funny nickname, Whisker had a quite sinister appearance – grayish skin with black painted stripes and small, malevolent eyes with yellow irises, and long sharp fingernails painted in the same color as his armor – a dark red.

While Lucius took his time waving at the audience and blowing kisses to the numerous women who frantically screamed his name, Katniss took the opportunity to study her surroundings. The Arena was quite large, but small enough as to not allow for any place to run or hide. None of them had been given any weapons, instead there was a large pile of spears, swords, axes and halberds right in the middle of the Arena, surrounded by a circle of tall, intricately carved wooden pillars. Somewhere near the top she spotted her bow and arrows. She knew that she would have to find a way to get to it somehow, as soon as possible. Fixing her gaze on the countdown clock that hung somewhere above them, she decided to make a run for it the very moment the time would be up.

_Five, four, three, two, one, go!_

Just as her body launched forward she noticed that Whisker had stooped and suddenly pulled a chain that lay hidden beneath the sand at his feet. There was a shrieking noise and, as she ran, a hatch opened right in front of her and a huge feline sprang out with a ferocious growl. Another came out from a different hatch further away. She recognized the creatures, they were not so different from the ones she'd seen before. Mutants.

She ducked just in time to avoid getting her face clawed off by the beast in front of her and slipped past it. She continued to run towards the pile of weapons, while the giant cat pursued. She'd almost reached its bottom when she was caught. A massive paw hit her in the back, causing her to collapse face down onto the sand. The beast's sharp claws cut through her armor, scraping away the flesh on her right shoulder blade. She screamed in excruciating pain and the audience went mad with excitement.

In the President's lodge, Peeta went white as paper and tried to turn his head away from the scene, but one of the Peacekeepers gripped his chin and forced him to look forward.

"Where are you going?" Cato asked, noticing that Hazel had stood up to leave.

"I need to investigate the way to the President's lodge and now seems like a good time. Nobody's paying attention"

"But… shouldn't we go together?" he questioned puzzled.

"We can't go unprepared, I need to go on a little scout mission first. And we'll do it tomorrow"

"But Katniss…?"

She shook her head.

Down on the sand Lucius Whisker was again blowing kisses to the crowd, while Katniss barely managed to drag herself another few inches forward and grabbed one of the spears. The effort to lift it with the injured arm nearly made her pass out, and when she rolled onto her back to face the monster, pressing on the open wound, was even worse. The feline slammed another paw, immobilizing her left arm, but when it lowered its head to bite, Katniss took the opportunity to thrust the spear into its open mouth. With a terrible growl that gradually turned into a shriek, the beast collapsed almost on top of her. As she pulled herself away from the carcass she noticed that now she'd also got Whisker's attention. She had no choice but to gather all her remaining strength, rushed forward to the weapon pile and reached for the bow and the bag of arrows. She pulled out one arrow and aimed it at Lucius, but his other mutant was approaching faster than him. Changing her target in the last moment, she only managed an imprecise shot that grazed the beast's ear and only infuriated it and made it charge forward. There was no time to lose. Slinging the bow and the bag of arrows on her left shoulder to avoid touching the wound, Katniss began to climb on one of the wooden pillars. It was hard, but she clenched her teeth as she crawled upwards, moaning and bleeding. Unfortunately, the mutant could climb too. At some point she stopped and wrapped her legs tightly to the pillar, and pulled out another arrow. This time it pierced right through the beast's eye, making it collapse onto the ground.

Lucius Whisker cursed out loud, then picked a hatchet from the pile and threw it in her direction. The blade stuck in the wood not inches away from her face. He did not get a second chance. Katniss shot two arrows, one after another and both hit him in the chest. He fell down on his back and she was about to finish him off, when he raised his hand with two fingers up.

"STOP! STOP!" shouted Claudius Templesmith. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is now for you to decide if this brave warrior should live or die!"

" _LIVE! LIVE! LIVE!_ " the crowd roared.

 _Live? What the fuck?_ Cato wondered. _Ugh! Fucking Capitol!_

President Snow turned to his secretary. "I thought you said that he is good, Franks" he hissed.

"Th-that's what I had heard, sir…"

"Obviously, what you have heard is inaccurate. Anyway, send that buffoon down there a glass of wine with our compliments, _and with this_!" He grabbed the crystal plate he'd put in front of Peeta and shoved it back into the hands of his secretary.


	14. Chapter 14

Katniss had been sedated by the doctors almost immediately after stepping out of the grand Arena. In truth, she had been grateful to have found enough strength to get down from where she'd climbed on that wooden pillar without simply dropping down onto the ground, and to get back to the gate. The wound had been bad, she had known that even if she hadn't been able to see it. It had felt like a quite large portion of flesh had been torn off her back, and there were both the pain and the terror of it. However, thanks to what Hazel called 'the Capitol's miracle of science', she woke up back in her small room at the _Coliseum_ , two days later, her body fully restored to its previous unharmed state. She opened her eyes slowly in the dim light of the bulbs and blinked, confused.

_How can this be? Why am I still alive?_

Then she remembered winning the fight and Whisker being carried out of the Arena by Avoxes. It made no sense at first, but then she figured it all out. It would have looked suspicious maybe if Snow had arranged for her to die on the first fight. It had to look _realistic_ , as if she'd wanted to be there, to put her life on the line for fame and money. Then she remembered seeing Peeta in the President's private lodge, looking pale and worn out, and anger choked her. The Capitol's sheer perversion had no limits. Her hand reached and patted the nightstand for the drug phial that she'd emptied in the toilet every night since her arrival at the _Coliseum_ , but it wasn't there. Then she heard the sound of the door opening and she quickly closed her eyes, to avoid seeing the staff and having to talk to them.

"Katniss? Are you up sweetheart? They say that the sedatives should have worn out now…"

Her eyes popped open again. It was only Haymitch this time, with Cinna and Hazel in tow. The mentor sat down on her bed, while the two stylists found awkward seats on the scarce furniture. Katniss instantly noticed that Cato wasn't with them.

"How- how long have I been out?" she managed to ask. Her throat was so dry but Haymitch guessed it and picked a glass from her nightstand and filled it with water, gently bringing it to her lips.

"Only two days, sweetheart. But you're fine now" he said encouragingly. "You've made a full recovery"

She nodded slowly and met Cinna's gaze next. "Katniss, I have to say that… in spite of everything that is going on, we are all very proud of you" the stylist said. "You were fantastic out there!"

"Thank you… I only wish you didn't have to go through all that because of me…" Katniss responded weakly, and Haymitch reached and gave a squeeze to her hand.

"Where's Cato?" she murmured.

Haymitch sighed and chewed his lip nervously. "Look sweetheart, I know that… you may have thought that things have changed" he began warily "but… Cato is a Career and they are in a certain way…"

Katniss blinked, puzzled, and made an effort to push herself up on the pillows. "What certain way?"

"Well, I am aware that you might have entertained certain… illusions about him, but I don't think that he's ever felt the same way about you" The mentor shook his head. "I mean, think about it sweetheart, at the Hunger Games you _killed_ him. You couldn't really expect him to… "He again paused and ran a hand through his tousled hair. "And I'm afraid that… um… what has happened between you two was a mistake… He never-"

"Oh just cut the crap, Haymitch!" Hazel interrupted him.

Katniss' gaze, already blurred with tears, shifted to her. "Is this true, Hazel?" She felt like she was running out of air all the sudden.

"No!" Hazel then shrugged and shook her head. "Well I don't know actually, but that's hardly the point. That's not why he's not here now! Kat… That night after you fought Whisker Cato was arrested"

"What? Why?" Katniss' voice had been reduced to a mere whisper. "What did he do?"

"He was recognized. And you can imagine that a supposedly dead tribute walking around is not exactly acceptable…"

"But… how could this be? Hell, he even got _me_ fooled with that disguise, and I knew him better than the Capitolites!"

Hazel grimaced. "I know! And I thought it would work just fine, after all it has worked so far… But there was one thing we did not foresee." She sighed. "It turned out that the woman we have… used to get to Seneca Crane had taken a great interest in him during the Games. Which doesn't really make sense, because she's young, famous and pretty, has had loads of men… and after all Cato is just a boy… Anyway, he had to keep seeing her a few more times after that so she wouldn't make the connection with Seneca's death… and at some point she's watched a rerun of the Games and realized that was him…"

"But that's crazy! She saw him die, didn't she?" Katniss wondered out loud. "How could she still believe it was him?"

The petite girl shrugged again. "What can I say, very few things surprise the people of Capitol…"

"What will they do to him? They'll question him and kill him, won't they…?" Katniss murmured, sinking back into the pillows and pressing her temples.

"I can still mentally communicate with him so he's alive, for now…. And I know that he didn't tell them anything to put anyone in danger… And they won't suspect anything"

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I chose him on purpose – not only because he is strong and tough, there were other Careers fit for the job too – but because in the Arena he was your enemy until the very end. Not in a thousand years would it cross Snow's mind to associate him to us"

But Katniss was no longer listening. She squeezed her eyes shut as she let the tears stream down her pale cheeks. She had lost everything.

* * *

 

"Do you have a positive DNA identification, Franks? Are you absolutely sure this is no mistake?"

"Yes sir. We are a hundred percent sure that it is indeed him"

"And how exactly is this _possible_? He died during the Games. How _ON EARTH_ was he brought back to life?"

Franks shifted nervously. "Actually sir… he was _mutated_ back to life"

"WHATEVER!" Snow shouted, suddenly losing his temper and slamming his fist into the desk. Secretary Franks watched as some of the sheets of his report flew off from the pad the President had struck and landed on the marble floor, at his feet. "The real question is – _WHO DID THIS_? It must have been done here, in the Capitol, right under our nose!"

Then the older man took a deep breath and calmed himself to some extent, leaning back in his chair.

"Did the boy talk? Did he answer your questions?" he wanted to know.

"All of them sir, actually we were surprised at first that he put up no resistance… held nothing back. But then we figured it – he's not even a human being anymore-"

Snow waved off the details. "So who was it? Did he tell you that – who is behind all this madness?"

"He only said that it was a sponsor from the Games, he was not given any names and they employed great secrecy when handling him, but a woman talked to him several times"

"A woman!" Snow snorted. "I wouldn't be surprised if this mysterious sponsor was some old drooling hag!"

"He is also responsible for the recent unsolved attacks, sir" Franks went on. "Apparently the mysterious sponsor has ordered the killing of Peacekeepers in District 9 as well as the murder of Seneca Crane…"

The President leafed once more through the report in front of him and then casually pushed it aside.

"So this is about the Games after all…" he concluded. "Some Games obsessed imbecile who probably owns a private laboratory has brought their favorite tribute back from the dead and has ordered him to kill for their amusement. And Seneca Crane was to blame for the fact that the boy did not win the damned Games. You could say that it makes sense"

"At least we have ruled out the political threat, sir…"

"Have we, Franks?" Snow jumped. "Whoever this is, they can make _mutants -_ apparently more advanced than what we have deviced so far! If they made one, they can make a thousand! You saw the terrible damage one boy could make against our men! How can we succeed against an army of such creatures? No! This is a threat, a terrible threat!"

"What shall we do now sir? He knows nothing more than what he's told us… He doesn't even know where they were keeping him"

"It's simple, Franks" Snow replied with a malicious smirk. "Get his list of sponsors from the Games archives and discreetly investigate all of them. Then we'll have our culprit"

Franks quickly jotted something down on his own pad. "I will take care of it. What about the boy? Is there any reason to delay his execution, sir?"

The President caressed his beard thoughtfully. "Actually… I have a better idea"

* * *

 

In the dim lights of the dreary prison cell, Cornelia looked absolutely stunning and she knew it. She smirked victoriously as she took a step forward and let her slender fingers trail down on the heavy chains and then to the shackles that held Cato perfectly immobilized.

"See, if you hadn't killed Seneca and made my money run dry, I would never have done this…" Her fingers went up on his bare arms and shoulders, eventually reaching his jaw. "I would never have betrayed you, my precious little pet" she drawled. "Do you know how I dreamed of you when you were out there...in that deep, scary forest? Sometimes I would imagine that I'd been a tribute, like you, and you would have chased me, and you would have broken me into complete submission… "

She was standing so close now that she could feel his cool breath against her flushed cheek, but it only enticed her to confess more. "It made me moan just to think of it, being possessed by the mighty Cato, the Beast of the Arena…"

"Anyway… I did enjoy you while it lasted" she finally said. "And I will miss you, my love" Cornelia then stood on her tiptoes and pressed her mouth against his passionately, tasting him one last time, before she pulled away and headed to the door.

"Cornelia" Cato suddenly called and she turned abruptly, meeting his gaze. "I am so sorry that your fantasy wasn't true, but I would have killed you so easily, and you probably would have been no fun at all … "

She flinched at the sound of his voice, a mixture of disdain and cruelty. "But don't worry, I asked my _sponsor_ for a parting gift, and she has never refused me anything"

Cornelia laughed. "Your sponsor cannot save you, Cato. No one can. If I were you I'd make peace with myself"

"And so you should, _my love_ " he said with a hint of amusement. "I've asked her for your life"


	15. Chapter 15

_**Special warning for this chapter: Violence!** _

Haymitch sat silent on the living-room couch, ignoring everything and everyone. Many times before in his life he'd thought he'd seen the worst that this cruel world had to throw at him, but he'd been wrong. The worst hour of his life was still to unfold, and it would happen that very night, he knew it.

"I'm worried about Haymitch" Cinna whispered with obvious concern. "I think he has not slept at all the past two days, he just sat there and drank…"

The stylist himself felt worn and on the edge of his nerves, and he could tell that Hazel wasn't much better either. Her childish features did not bear any sign of fatigue, but it was there, in her dark, haunted eyes.

"What do you know of Cato…?" he asked warily.

"Not much, they still keep him in confinement. He doesn't know where he is, just some dark dungeon and he's chained up really tight, so he can't even move a finger" She sighed. "I can't help thinking that this is all my fault. That I've just… killed him all over again" She buried her face in her palms.

"No, no, don't say that, Hazel" Cinna said gently. "We all did what we had to do, the best we could. But they're all so young – Cato, Katniss, Peeta and even you, and so much was asked of you all. But you have done way better than anyone would have expected so far. And we have not lost yet. I know it's hard and painful, especially now, but I only wish Haymitch could keep a clear head through all this. It's a really bad time to break down"

"Haymitch has not had a clear head in a very long time, Cinna" the girl replied. "Sometimes one can still get glimpses of the man that he used to be, but he is addicted, and with each blow he's only getting worse" She reached forward and gave Cinna's hand a brief squeeze. "I'm glad you're here with us, Cinna. You're right – we can still do this"

"I'm afraid of tonight" he murmured.

* * *

 

Katniss was afraid too. Her next fight was due in only a few hours, as they'd briefly informed her, but her prep team and her mentor had not been allowed to come and see her this time. Instead she was given a new, unfamiliar prep team. She could do no more than just sit there, silent and uncomfortable, as they scrubbed, brushed, dyed, braided, applied make-up and clothed her, with no words, only precise movements, emotionless, as if she'd been a dead piece of meat already. At least she was done crying, her tears had gone dry, but her torment continued. She'd already lost Peeta and Cato – the Career's fate was clearly sealed and what were the chances of Peeta's survival? President Snow had made it clear – they would live and die together. And most likely die they would, since she knew that they wouldn't let her live through another match. But where was Haymitch? Where were Cinna and Hazel? Katniss dreaded the thought that Capitol had devised some sort of terrible punishment for them as well. And the worst was – she found no one else to blame for all that but herself.

She was almost relieved when the Peacekeepers eventually came to escort her from her cell to the gate that led onto the sand of the _Coliseum_. The tunnel was quiet, and the damp darkness almost soothing. That was until she saw the massive iron gate lifting slowly, no doubt in what was supposed to be a teasing manner. Just before she stepped out two Avoxes came and checked her armor one last time, and one of them encircled her waist with a thick belt that had two sword sheaths attached on each side. The twin blades gleamed ominously into the light before he tucked them inside of each sheath, adjusting the belt again so they wouldn't hinder her movements.

_So… there will be no pile of weapons this time, and no bow_

The swords were heavy, pulling on her hips. Katniss couldn't help feeling a pang of fear deep into her stomach. Flavius Fullner must have told them she sucked at swordfight. This time they had made sure she would not win. She was doomed. Thus concluding, she walked out into the bright lights, her chin held up firmly in her last stand of defiance.

" _Ladies and gentlemen! Katniss Everdeen, the_ _Girl on Fire!_ " Claudius Templesmith's voice thundered through the speakers.

The crowd cheered for her wildly, but she remained still. She did not smile and wave at them, and she did not blow them kisses in the usual manner of the Iron Athletes. Instead, her gaze trailed up to the President's private lodge, meeting Peeta's pale face. He looked worn out and burdened, but still managed to give her a light smile.

"I'm sorry, Peeta. Forgive me… Forgive me for everything" Katniss murmured, fighting back her tears. She would not cry again, not now.

"Make sure that all Panem sees this. I want everyone in every damn District to see that _defiance_ and _rebellion_ are not the answer to their whatever problems and that we will not tolerate it" President Snow ordered, turning to his secretary.

Franks nodded and proceeded to pass some orders through a microphone, while Snow turned back to Peeta and gripped his shoulder.

"I hope you realize what you and your beloved are making me do, Mr. Mellark. The Games are expensive" he said pointing out to the audience "each and every one of those seats have cost a fortune and yet here I am, forced to broadcast them to the entire Panem, just to make an example out of two obnoxious, infatuated teenagers! " He paused for a moment and then continued, more for himself. "The citizens of Capitol will not like this, they will see it as a betrayal. And I am not surprised, since they've always been too stupid to realize that everything I do is for their protection"

Then Snow paused again, pulling his immaculate handkerchief out of his chest pocket and pressing it against his mouth to muffle a cough. The awful smell of blood invaded Peeta's nostrils and almost made him gag. He instinctively jerked his head away.

"You should be really grateful, Mr. Mellark. For you it will end fast and painless" Snow added, motioning towards the crystal bowl, and his hand left the boy's shoulder.

" _Ladies and gentlemen!"_ Claudius Templesmith addressed the audience again. " _I am sure that we all remember the glorious match in which the magnificent Iron Athlete Artorius Aquer has defeated the mutant Hydra!"_

Katniss had no idea what he was talking about, as her eyes keenly inspected the opposing gates. It was through there that the enemy would enter the Arena.

" _Tonight we have a surprise for you! Tonight we are proud to give you a fighter whom Death itself has yet failed to tame! Ladies and gentlemen, from the darkness of the Hunger Games, we now bring you District 2's lost tribute, THE MIGHTY CATO, BEAST OF THE ARENA!"_

Indeed, the Capitolites remembered Cato and it was instantly obvious that the shock of his unexpected comeback was by far exceeded by their wild excitement.

" _And I may not be that wrong to assume that many of us wanted this particular fight to get another chance!"_ Claudius Templesmith teased them further.

Katniss' breath caught in her throat as the Career almost sprang through the gates, gripping his two swords viciously. Cato, on the other hand, had a brief moment of confusion. They'd kept him immobilized and blindfolded right until the last minute. He began to guess what was happening only when they put the belt over his armor and he felt the swords hanging against his thighs. He only managed to grip their handles and pull them out in one swift move in the split second he was pushed out through the gates, into the blinding lights and deafening roars of the Arena. He quickly cast a few glances around, taking in the large stone walls surrounding the Arena, the fidgeting crowd and the big screens that all showed his face in that moment. And then, standing relatively close to the opposing gate he saw Katniss, white as paper under all that make-up and frozen with terror.

 _Shit!_ he cursed silently and looked up at Haymitch's lodge, only to meet the same horrified expression on the mentor's face, as well as Cinna's.

 _What the fuck do I do now?_ he mentally asked Hazel, who seemed somewhat more composed than her companions.

 _It will happen soon. Just get me some more time, Cato. All I need is a bit more time_ she replied and he saw her slipping discreetly towards the exit.

Then the countdown clock was lowered towards the center of the Arena and Cato's gaze involuntarily trailed from it to the President's private lodge. There, next to Peeta's mute despair and the President's studied indifference he spotted Cornelia's bright red lips tugged upwards in a satisfied grin. She must have been invited especially due to her 'outstanding achievement'. A wave of anger washed over him when she leaned over the railing and blew him a kiss and his face twisted into a ferocious grimace.

… _.five, four, three, two, one, BEGIN!_

Katniss remained on her spot, motionless, positively petrified. Cato would kill her this time, he had no choice anyway and maybe Haymitch was right? By the look on his face when he eventually turned to face her, the conviction that maybe he hadn't really changed after all began to creep up on her. She had killed him and now he would make her pay, he would tear her to shreds, just like he'd promised not so long ago.

A surge of fear made its way down her spine as he walked towards her, swords flickering dangerously in his hands. She took a few steps back as her right hand patted clumsily for the handle of her own. She didn't even consider using two swords, it was hard enough even with one. She pulled it out and held it to the side.

 _Weigh it in your hand… there, feel the balance of the blade_ … _You must always think of it as an extension of your arm_

That was what Cato had taught her. Katniss shook her head. It was no use, she was no match for him. And on top of it all he was a _mutant_ , for God's sake! Despite that, she did as instructed, getting a better grip on the handle. But Cato stopped a few paces away from her and his expression shifted from cruelty to disdain.

"Is that all you can throw at me, Capitol?" he suddenly shouted, pointing one of his swords towards Katniss' chest. "The fucking _Fire Girl_? Is that all you've got? Pathetic!" he mocked them and spat at her feet.

In the deadly silence that fell over the Arena, President Snow drummed his fingers on the table in front of him, before turning abruptly towards secretary Franks.

"It seems, Franks, that things are not working according to plan. Any suggestions?"

"Oh, he will kill her sir" the secretary assured him. "Didn't you notice how he looked at her earlier? That pure hatred… But I think that he may have gotten used to… more of a challenge by now"

Snow rubbed his beard thoughtful. "How many contestants are still in the Games?"

"Now it's down to the last five, sir"

"Let's put them all in and give them a chance to prove their worth right now. Let's make this the big finale – the survivor will be the Iron Games Victor. Oh and Franks? I suggest you throw in a little surprise to the side. At the right moment"

"Yes, sir"

* * *

 

A short break was announced as Claudius Templesmith informed the audience that there was another surprise – a change in the evening's schedule. The Capitolites couldn't be more excited, there was nothing they loved more than surprises, the gorier the better.

Soon the remaining contestants entered the Arena through the other gates and their names were ceremoniously announced: the Glovarn twins, two identically looking giants armed with battle axes, Lentulus Vixor – a slender man clad in a silvery armor with a leopard skin to the side, armed with a small shield and a spear, Castor Ederly, a less famous halberd wielder and finally Marcus Gray – Capitol's most reputed swordsman.

"They don't think much of you, so just keep the distance and let those bastards finish each other off first" Cato hissed, not looking at her. Katniss flinched in surprise and pulled further away from him.

His intuition proved right. The athletes of Capitol all but ignored them, instead blowing kisses towards the screaming crowd and gritting their teeth towards one another. The clock then began its countdown, and yet they did not seem to heed it. Then, in the very moment in which the countdown was over, Lentulus took advantage of the others not paying attention and drove his spear through the neck of one of the Glovarn twins. The man collapsed onto the sand choking in his own blood and the audience went berserk. Marcus Gray ducked just in time to avoid Ederly's halberd swing and thrust his sword into the latter's armpit, where his armor was weak.

 _Two down, three more to go_ Cato counted, but suddenly the three men turned their attention on him and Katniss. The remaining Glovarn charged towards Cato, throwing one of his battle axes in his direction. The Career dodged it just in time and raised both his swords to block a blow of the other axe. He tried to push the athlete away, but the man was strong, way stronger than he'd expected. Cato got the advantage when he eventually buttheaded him, causing the giant to stumble a few steps back. Then he thrust both blades forward, piercing his armor.

Meanwhile, Lentulus sought to approach Katniss, stepping as gracefully and carefully as a slender feline. She backed away, equally fascinated and terrified by his piercing green eyes. Then she saw the shiny tip of his spear advancing at full speed and she panicked further as her back stuck on the stone wall of the Arena. There was nowhere to run.

"Cato!" Katniss squealed involuntarily, as she barely managed to avoid the spear that Lentulus thrust forward, aiming for her head.

"Use the fucking sword, _twelve_!" came the growled reply and she automatically lifted her weapon, slamming it with all her strength into the athlete's spear. With a loud crack the wood broke, leaving him disarmed. The crowd cheered, but her victory was short lived. Almost immediately after, Lentulus used the shield to hit her in the face. Katniss collapsed onto the sand and nearly lost her consciousness from the blow. When she came back to her senses, her opponent towered over her ready to apply a decisive blow. In a split second she reached for the sword that had fallen down in the sand not inches from her face and struck deep into his hip joint. Lentulus let out a scream of both pain and surprise, and Katniss kicked him in the knee, making him lose his footing. He fell face down, dropping his shield, and she kicked him again, this time full in the face.

"KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!" the Capitolites yelled, but she ignored them. The man was down, with little chance of getting up anytime soon, let alone attacking.

When only Katniss, Cato and Marcus Gray had been left standing, the wild rhythm of drums resounded and a large hatch opened in the middle of the Arena. An enormous scorpion climbed out of the hole with a sinister hiss. Its venomous tail reached easily thirteen feet above the ground and its legs around six feet. Its tongs were huge and sharp like blades.

"Oh fuck…" Cato swore, but there was no time for contemplation. While the mutant beast began by turning Lentulus' body into a bloody mess, much to the crowd's delight, Marcus attacked. Unlike the other Iron Athletes, he was indeed skilled. He charged with swift moves, blocking his opponent's strikes. Katniss, having gained some more confidence, attempted a blow, but he rejected her with ease. Eventually he proved strong enough to even pierce Cato's armor and to thrust the tip of his sword into the Career's ribs. The boy stumbled backwards, moaning and clutching his side. However, Marcus Gray had little time to relish in his success before the scorpion's tail ran him through from behind. Katniss slapped her hand over her mouth to prevent a scream.

"W-what now?" she whispered, her eyes locked on the horrid beast that had only been further enticed by the scent of blood.

"Get away from here and let me deal with it!"

She was quick to follow Cato's instruction while he advanced towards the creature, swinging his swords. He charged and jumped forward, severing one of the beast's legs with one blow, but in the next second the giant tongs swept him off his feet and threw him away. He was sent flying into the farthest wall of the Arena, into which he was slammed violently before dropping down onto the sand.

 _I'm almost there, Cato. Now, make them stare_ he heard Hazel's voice in his mind and forced himself up with a groan, collecting his two swords. Further away, the scorpion was now attacking Katniss, who fought desperately to fend off its merciless tongs.

"KATNISS! NO!" he yelled as the scorpion's tail pierced through her armor and her chest. His voice was covered by the bloodthirsty audience's frantic shouting.

He launched forward with a savage growl, running as fast as he could, and jumped on top of the scorpion, thrusting both swords with all his strength into the monster's head.

"KATNISS!" Peeta shouted in turn, but he was cut short when one of the Peacekeepers guarding him collapsed face down on the table, shot dead. He jumped from his seat only to stumble on the corpse of the other one. Cornelia screamed in terror when another gunshot resounded and secretary Franks was the next to fall. President Snow turned with surprising speed and picked up the microphone, calling for his guards.

"They can't hear you, they're all dead" Hazel said calmly, aiming in his direction.

"Who are you?" Snow asked in a choked voice.

"The sponsor" And that was the last thing he ever heard.

Curled up in a corner of the lodge, Cornelia continued to scream, but due to the crowd's roar no one could hear her.

"Peeta, come on! Let's get out of here!" Hazel urged, but the boy did not move.

"Katniss… she… she's…" he barely whispered, tears streaming down his pale cheeks. Then Hazel also glanced down into the Arena and her heart sank.

Cato had rolled off the scorpion's carcass and ran over to where Katniss had fallen. She lay on her back onto the sand and her wonderful grey eyes now stared empty, lifeless.

 _No! No!_ Cato shook his head, tears blurring his vision. _Hazel, how long would it take to…_ he mentally asked, but did not wait for the answer. He picked one of the swords and thrust it into his left arm, and after pulling it out covered in his blood thrust it again deep into her heart.

A deathly silence fell over the Arena as the Capitolites held their breaths, not knowing what to think.

 _Please! Please, she just died…_ Cato silently begged. _Katniss, come on, please!_

Sixty seconds ticked away painfully while no one dared to move. Then, suddenly she blinked slowly, before her body was jerked upwards in one swift movement and she sat up, panting heavily.

"Cato?" she murmured incredulously, staring down at the horrid wound in her chest and her bloodied hands. "What happened?"

He didn't answer, but his face lit up in the most beautiful smile she'd ever seen. Then he pulled her up into his arms and pressed his mouth against hers, in front of the entire Panem.

" _CATO THE BEAST OF THE ARENA AND KATNISS THE GIRL ON FIRE, VICTORS OF THIS YEAR'S IRON GAMES!"_ Claudius Templesmith announced and the audience went completely mad with excitement.

"It's over now, let's get the hell out of here" Hazel said pulling Peeta's hand, while he sat dumbstruck, unable to understand what had happened.

"NO! They must die! I want them both dead!" Cornelia shrieked hysterically.

"Oh, I almost forgot" the mutant girl said turning to her. "Cato says goodbye"

_**Epilogue** _

_The true star-crossed lovers of the 74_ _th_ _edition of Hunger Games revealed and miraculously reunited in the Iron Games finale! Cato the Beast of the Arena and Katniss the Girl on Fire, a magnificent couple who had the odds clearly in their favor! A death defying love story that made history on the sand of the Coliseum…_

Haymitch did not read the rest. The Districts were now free and the Capitolites had to pay for their products, but gossip was still the most highly sought after commodity. He could not help a bitter smile as he tossed away the paper and poured himself another fill of whiskey.

* * *

 

The flower was becoming more elaborate as he added a few bright yellow petals in the middle, on top of the red and purple ones. Now they looked like graceful flames and Peeta smiled. He pulled back a little to examine it from a distance and he suddenly felt someone's chin propping on his right shoulder.

"What you're doing, Pocket Peeta?"

"Stop calling me that! I'm not _that_ small!" he laughed and shrugged her away.

"Aww… but you like it. So what are you up to? Haven't seen you in a while"

He motioned towards the flowers on his table. "I have been taking care of the family business… What's everyone else doing?"

"Katniss and Cato went to District 2 to see his family, God knows how those poor people are going to react. Cinna went with them and Haymitch is drunk in his living-room, I just checked that"

"What about you? I thought you're off traveling again, since I've heard you can't stay in one place for too long…"

"Yeah well, I'm thinking of it" the petite girl mused.

Peeta sighed almost inconspicuously and returned to his cakes. "I see…"

"But some cranberry juice might change my mind…"

**THE END**


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